Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-13
Plan toSa|vage
Assets in S|ums
Urged at Par|ey
Not Ideal, but Saves
Money, indianapolis
Aide Points Out

$500 ~FRASoSkA w ClCdl dllCc
with view to salvaging as much as
possible was laid before the Bust
nessmen's Conference on Urban
Problems at its final session in the
United States Chamber of Com
merce Building yesterday.
Speaking on the redeveloprnent
of blighted areas in his city, Paul
L. McCord of the indianapolis Re-
development Commission declared,
I'VE definitely are not going to
scrap all existing sewers and utili-
ties, street layouts or even houses. "
Salvaging some existing houses
"may not present as beautiful an
architectural layout as would re-
suit If we had all new housing in
the area, but our commission is
convinced we cannot justify spend
ing public funds to acquire and de-
stroy property that is so readily SAL
vageable," he said.
No Immediate Solution.
"One thing we must all realize is
that these Sluns were not created
overnight" he added. They are
the product of many years of de-
velopment and decline. The prob
lem is so enormous we cannot solve
it in one fell swoop, but we can
accomplish more within reason
able time, If We accept this more
realistic approach"
The Indianapolis redevelopment
program, he said, is one of very
few that have advanced beyond the
talk" stage. He said 178 acres has
been designated as blighted area,
more than $1,100,000 raised in taxes
during the last two years is in hand
for this and later projects, and &C
QUESTION of property has started.
Another speaker, Earl D. Mallery,
executive director of the American
Municipal Association, pointed out
that lower tax values in b,ighted
commercial areas and in residential
slums are reflected in diminished
tax receipts.
Property taxes account for 648
per cent of all revenues of the larger
cities lover 25,00o)," he said, adding
that the finances of cities right now
are strained to the utmost in pro-
viding the required municipal sery-
ices to their vastly increased popu-
lations-up II per cent in all mu-
inequalities over $500 just since
1870"
Unprecedented opportunities for
reconstructing street systems to
conform to estimated needs of mod
ern traffic and the best use OF
abutting lands are presented COM
munities contemplating the rede-
velopment of blighted areas, accord
ing to H, Evert Kincaid, executive
director of the Chicago Plan Com
mission.
Most Cities" he said, were built
originally during an era of horse
and buggy transportation and SLOW
moving public transit vehicles. The
value and use of land was not par
ticular,y important, and the builders
thought it necessary to provide a
pattern of small blocks with much
area devoted to local streets"
In connection with the co-opera-
ton of private interests in slum
clearance, Paul Bestor, insurance
company official of Newark, N. j.,
said he believed investment in we'll
selected rental housing projects is
natural" for life insurance COM
panies, but rehabilitation of blighted
areas by the erection of low-cost
housing is something else again"
Experience of at least one COM
pany with moderate-priced projects
of this type is that they have not
been sufficiently successful to en-
courage undertaking of similar
projects elsewhere, he said.
To meet the cost of assembly of
land and enable redevelopment of
.blighted areas by insurance COM
panies, he went on, several States
have passed redevelopment acts pro-
viding for tax subsidies Some con-
stitutional questions arising in con-
nection with some of the acts have
not yet been decided. he pointed out,
however.
ID. C. Act Outlined.
Mark Lansburgh, chairman of
the District Redevelopment Land
Agency, outlined the 1945 Revelop-
ment Act for Washington. Pointing
out that the Budget Bureau has ap-
proved a substantial budget for the
agency, he said, eve are now await
ing the converting of Congress next
January in order to present to it
our justification for the amount
sought.
This delay may be expensive, as
in the two outlying areas tentatively
selected for redevelopment by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission there already is pres
sure from the current real estate
market and from residents Of the
areas on the District Commissioners
to install utilities whose location may
later embarrass us in redeveloping
the property"