Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-03-14
200 GI Homes
To Be Erected
Camp SinlIns
Units Are Portion Of
500 Dwellings Slated
For Washington

ings to be erected by the Federal
Public Housing Authority in an
effort to meet the housing problems
OF former members OF the armed
services.
The dwellings are part of a 600
unit allotment to the District by
FPHA for which the city will supply
the sites, roadways and water and
sewage facilities. A number Of other
sites are under consideration, but
Camp Simms is the first to be an
nounced officially.
Agreement on use of camp land
for the units was reached yesterday
at conference among District
officials and Brig Gen. Albert L. Cox,
commanding. officer of the District
National Guard.
Returned to Commissioners.
Until recently the area was under
control of the Army. A few
weeks ago 1t was turned back
to the Commissioners to provide
emergency housing for the taxicab
caravan which came here from
Chicago to protest a limitation by
that city on the number of taxicabs.
Following departure of the cabmen,
the camp was returned to the Ma
tional Guard.
Camp Simms is at Fifteenth street
and Alabama avenue Sc, and has
sewage and water facilities. Ac-
cording to Assistant Engineer Com
missioner Joseph D. Arthur, jr., the
200 houses will be for cclored vet
Grams.
While no other sites have been
announced, it is known the Com
missioners are negotiating with the
Interior Department for use of some
strips of public park land close to
roads and utilities. They have esti-
mated the overall cost to the city
on the entire project to be about
$500 per housing unit and have
asked Congress for authorization to
spend $3.50, 900 If necessary to install
the necessary walks, water mains
and sewage pipes.
Exhibit to Be RemodeIed.
In addition to the Camp Simms
project the Governments war hous-
ing reuse exposition will be dis
mantled and 80 buildings remod-
eled to provide rs family dwelling
units of a total of ITS units OF
surplus temporary housing just al
located for veterans families in
Montgomery County, Md.
This was announced today by the
Federal Public Housing Authority
which sponsored the exposition on
la 20-acre site at New Hampshire
avenue extended, miles beyond the
District line
Montgomery County will provide
sites in Bethesda, Takoma Park and
Silver Spring for re-erection of the
surplus housing Fifty trailers now
in Alexandria will be part OF the
ITS units, Oliver C. Winston, di-
rector of FPHA's general field Office
said today.
County to Provide Sites.
County authorities will provide
the sites and pay for rough grading
installing streets, sidewalks and
main utility lines. FPHA will pro-
vide the housing, install founda-
tons, extend utilities from street
mains, extend sidewalks to houses
and do any necessary grading
More than 10000 persons from all
over the country visited the EXPOSE
ton from January IL to February g.
The exhibition was designed to show
how surplus temporary housing
could be converted into emergency
housing for veterans and other pur-
poses.
Meanwhile, in Nation wide
broadcast, Housing Administrator
Wilson w. Wyatt appealed for
popular support for his program OF
100000 homes in the next two
years and reiterated that without
premium payments the program
could not succeed.
Premium Payments Called Vital.
He said that the premium pay
ment plan of encouraging produc-
ton of scarce building materials was
similar to the subsidy program used
during the war to stimulate output
Of copper and other metals.
Premium payments are necessary
because we face a materials situa-
ton which requires drastic steps, u
he said.
Urges Immediate Appropriation.
The President asked for imme-
date appropriation of $3.50, 1877 ,OOC
to provide for reconversion OF
100000 more surplus units to vet
Grams dwellings. Congress pre-
viously authorized $191 800, 900 fol
conversion of $1,000 units, of which
only about 5000 remain to be al
located in the face of demand ex-
ceeding $4,000 units.
A total of 100000 temporary
homes was recommended as part OF
the Wyatt program.
In another housing development,
the District American Legion urged
veterans to use caution in buying
homes at today's prices.
submitted by A. E. CaSgrain.
chairman of the Veterans Housing
Committee, the report also urged
launching of apartment projects to
get a maximum of dwelling units
quickly, backed proposed $3.50 900
appropriation to the District to
finance its share of the cost of in
stalling 600 temporary war housing
units for veterans, and called for
passage of the District urban rede-
velopment bill. This measure would
set up a means for acquisition of
land to encourage slum clearance
and production of low-cost housing.
II oct WeddinnT