Evening star., 1947-01-14

Area Communitie.
Get Master Plan for
Housing Of Veterans
A master plan to expand and CO.
ordinate efforts to supply more
houses for Washington area vet.
Grams today was being studied by
officials of six communities of the
Metropolitan Area.
Representatives OF the various
communities submitted the plan to
their local governing bodies, follow
| ing a meeting yesterday in the office
of Engineer Commissioner Gen
Gordon r. Young.
If approved, it will provide fol
establishment of veterans housing
committee, with not more than six
Representatives each from the Dis.
trict and Alexandria and Arlington
Fairfax, Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties.
Unanimously Supported.
officials of the six communities
voted unanimous support of the
plan at yesterdays meeting, acting
on a resolution submitted by Daniel
A. Dugan, member of the Arlington
County Board. The government in
each community, however, must give
approval before the group is formal
ly organized.
! Sentiments of those present were
best described in the words OF
Brooke Johns, chairman of the
Board of Montgomery County Com
miSsioners.
"We have our shoulders to the
Wheel" Mr.. Johns declared. eve
are all behind it,"
Although District officials declined
comment, creation of the Metro
politan Area group was regarded as
meaning an end of the District
Veterans Emergency Housing Com
mittee, which served only the Dis
trict.
Various Fields Specified.
Tentative plans for the new group
call for a representative from each
community in each of the follow
ing fields: Local government, vet
erans' groups, building trades, la
Dor, real estate and finance.
Whether each community should
furnish all six is left to their dis
cretion
Gen. Young, who acted as chair
man pro tenn at the meeting, said
the new group would be an entirely
autonomous body. Approval Of COM
munities concerned is not expected
in less than two weeks, he said, be-
cause of their various governmental
time tables.
Each community will inform Gen
Young as approval is forthcoming
When all have acted second
meeting will be held to organize the
new group, elect officers and give
1t a name.
The Veterans Emergency Hous-
ing Committee, which it is expected
to supplant, was established last
spring In line with a directive from
the then Federal Housing Expeditel
Wilson w. Wyatt.
Lists Major Benefits.
Asked If he thought the new
group would accomplish more thar
the local veterans housing body
Gen. Young replied: I'm the last
analysis builders will always act ir
their own interest. But I think II
will be helpful if they know more
about the veterans housing picture
as whole"
Gen. Young listed these four re-
spects in which he thought the
Metropolitan Area group would be
helpful to veterans:
l. AS a clearing house for in
formation on what houses are being
built, where and at what price.
2. AS source of information as to
how many veterans want homes
where, and what they can afford to
pay.
3. AS a means of getting home
less veterans together with builders
and real estate people to discuss
their wants.
4. AS a watchdog" agency for
questionable real estate practices
such as have recently plagued local
veterans.
Those Attending.
Besides Gen. Young, Mr.. John'
and Mr.. Dugan, those present a
yesterdays meeting included:
From Washington: Waldron Leon
ard. director of the Veterans Servic
! Center, and L. H. Neville Thomp
!, son, of the Combined Veteran
Housing Committee.
: From Fairfax County, Va: T. J
Stockton, planning engineer, ant
James j. Corbalis, assistant plan
ming engineer.
| From Alexandria: c. L. Watkins
city engineer, and r. S. Marshall
an assistant.
From Montgomery County: Yves
lev I. Sauter and Oliver Young
blood, both members of the Boar
of Commissioners.
From Prince Georges County
William A. Carson, president Of tn
Board of County Commissioners
and j. II. Beall and H. w. McNamee
both board members.
Hospital Guild to Meet