Evening star., 1946-11-30
Use Of War Housing
By Veterans Studied
By Citizens Council

Possible use of permanent war
housing in Washington to provide
for veterans who cannot find or af-
ford private housing was a major
question before the Citizens Coun-
Gil for Community Planning today.
The council, which has SO member
agencies here, was notified yesterday
that the District Commissioners
have appointed a seven member
committee to study the future of
such structures.
The committee is made up of AS
sistant Engineer Commissioner Ken
meth E. Madsen, Maj. Gen. U. S.
Grant, Sd, chairman of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion; John Ihlder, executive director
of the National Capital Housing
Authority; Charles c. Koones of the
Board of Trade, David C. Aud,
District Water Department super
intendent; Lee F. Dante, assistant
corporation counsel, and Waldron E.
Leonard, Veterans Information
Center director.
The committee will receive sug-
gestions from the council as well as
the Federal Public Housing Author
ity and the National Capital Housing
= Authority.
Representatives of those two
groups discussed the problem at a
council luncheon yesterday at the
YWCA, Seventeenth and K streets
NV. Oliver C. Winston, director
of FPHA general field offices, ex-
planned community recommenda-
tions for disposing of war housing
are followed wherever possible. No
housing units of that kind have
been sold here, and plans for such
sales have not yet been made, he
announced.
IhIder Urges Decision Soon.
Mr.. Ihlder declared decision must
be made as soon as possible as to dis
position of the four permanent or
semipermanent housing properties
and 13 temporary ones, with total
of 4,619 dwelling units. The four
main properties are Bellevue, Stod-
dert, Knox Hill and Highland.
There are more than 1000
known and registered families of
veterans and seryicemen whose in
comes are too low to pay for the
private housing now under con-
struction," he said. Available for
these veterans in the District of
Columbia are 4,619 units, plus few
vacancies created by move-outs
from prewar, low-rent housing
With this picture before you, it is
for you to form your own opinion
as to the disposition of the war
housing properties
Mr.. Ihlder listed possible uses:
Continuance as they are, pending
relief of the housing shortage;
sale to private owners, or keeping
the war housing in public ownership
ito supplement private housing and
to provide for families for whom
private housing does not adequately
provide"
Sales Preference to Veterans.
Mr.. Winston explained the law
requires that such properties be
sold las expeditiously as possible
to present or prospective occupants,
with first preference to veterans.
He added that permanent war hous-
ing could be transferred to local
housing authorities, with approval
of Congress and at the request OF
the local Government.
Almost every one in Washington
feels the acute housing pinch - MIR.
Ihlder declared. The lower income
levels feel it most because the great
majority of houses available for
purchase or otherwise being pro-
vided are beyond the financial reach
of people most in need of housing,
he said. He noted that 81 per cent
of veterans seeking homes here
said they could not pay more than
$50 rent or afford house that cost
more than $4,000.
The Rev. Francis w McPeek, who
presided at the luncheon, an
nounced that the council will spon-
sor a tour next Saturday "to see for
yourself what choice veteran has
in getting himself housed in the
District" The tour will start at $3.50
am. from the YWCA. Reservations
will be received at council headquar-
ters, 462 Indiana avenue NV, he
said,