Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-05-16
D. {. S|unn Bill
Is Approved
BY House Unit
$40, 900, 900 Measure
Revised to Limit
Authority of NCHA
By Don S. Worren

'<hsN
By Don S. Warren
Prospects for action at this session
OF Congress on the Districts $40
0C0,0 600 10-year slum redevelopment
bill were revived today when the
McGehee Subcommittee of the
House District Committee ordered a
favorable report on revised edition
Of the Senate bill.
Chairman Mcmillan of the full
committee said he would schedule a
meeting of the District Committee
early next week to get the legisla-
ton before the House as early as
possible.
The stage was set, however, for a
resumption of the old fight on the
extent of public housing operations.
for the McGehee group wrote into
the bill much more restrictive
definition of public low-rent housing.
This is along the same terms as
one offered in the Senate last fall,
but which was knocked out when
strong opposition developed, and
was replaced by compromise"
definition
Several Changes Made.
The McGehee subcommittee also
made several other changes In the
Dill. One OF these would permit the
National Capital Housing Authority
to continue for but one year after
enactment Of the bill to ACQUIRE
sites for public housing develop
ments. Thereafter all authority
would be centralized in a new
agency, the District Redevelopment
Land Agency, which would be ere. !
ated by the bill The Senate meas
ure would permit the NCHA to con-
tinue land acquisition for three
years.
In today's meeting Representa-
tive McGehee, Democrat, of Missis-
sippi proposed that land buying
authority of the NCHA be termi-
mated at once on enactment of the
bill, but agreed to the one-year
plan ordered by his group.
Another change in the bill would
require the NCHA to keep books In
accordance with standard auditing
practices" covering all phases of its
costs, receipts and subsidies, and
requiring that the agencys books
be subject to annual audits by the
General Accounting Office
New Rental Definition.
The new definition of public low
rent housing would tend to restrict
public housing to the so-caned
submerged fifth" of the District
population, according to income
calculations.
1t provides for "low-rent housing
constructed by a public agency for
families OF low income which (in-
Guiding the value or cost to tenants,
OF heat, light, water and cooking
fueD shall not exceed one-fifth
OF the highest net family income
of families eligible for tenancy in
such housing, as herein provided.
The dwellings in public low-rent
housing shall be available solely
for such families of low income
whose net family income does not
exceed the maximum net family
income falling within the lowest
20 per centum by number of all
family incomes in the District of
Columbia, as such maximum net
family income shall have been de-
termined, or from time to time
predetermined, after public hearing,
by the District Commissioners"
Government officials and other
advocates of public housing have
contended this definition is con-
fusing and probably would prove
unavoidable.
Senate Bills Version.
A simpler and less restrictive def
milton, they have argued, was writ
ten into the compromise Senate bill.
This states that public low-rent
housing means that constructed by
a public agency for families whose
net income does not exceed the
income level at which q family of
comparable size may be reasonably
able to afford to pay the lowest
rental at which private enterprise is
providing an adequate supply of
decent, safe and sanitary housing"
The income level referred to would
be determined by the District Com
missioners.
Another change written into the
bill by the McGehee subcommittee
deals with final determination of
the value of portions of blighted
areas to be redeveloped which are
to be used by Government agencies.
The Senate bill provided that If
the land agency and the Govern
ment department involved could not
agree on the value the Attorney
General would serve as arbiter. The
McGehee group proposed that the
arbiter be the chief justice of the
United States Court of Appeals here.