The Detroit tribune., 1949-02-19
BY ROBERT cowLINc

low run area snOuld De cleared
away Immediately and room
made for single family units.
This recommendation was
made by George d. Hurrell di-
rector Of the county board Of
supervisors Thursday at their
final meeting for February
Single family homes with some
provision for recreation and bet
ter living would greatly improve
this section of the county. he
said. In clarifying his statement
before the Board. Mr.. Hurrel
said the preliminary study he
has made was not complete
enough and he had not checked
with enough people or other
agencies at this time TO take a
stand on whether these needed
homes should be privately built
and owned or publicly construct
ed and rented by a government
agency.
Few people realize the great
need here for low cost perma-
nent houses. He stated that in
Ypsilanti alone there is an inn
mediate need for at least 400
houses, that Ann Arbor now
drastically needs four or five
hundred and throughout Wash.
tenaw County there Is a Cry
ing" need for no less than 5000
homes.
Eighty per cent of these houses
needed should be in the low 10
middle income groups for il is
in this category that the hous-
Ing situation is the tightest, he
pointed out.
Willow Run may be cheap
from a rent standpoint but il is
still not cheap on housing. Mr..
Hurrel stated. He knew of
families that were spending as
much 10 heat some OF the small
apartments there as they would
in heating a large six room
house and they were still not
comfortable. They do not have
the privacy that families desire
or require, he added
Despite this he said, there is
a long waiting list at Willow
Run and Pittsfield Village and
other places. Before making de-
cision on what type of perma-
ncnt housing should replace the
present Willow Run he feels
that the public should be given
chance 10 express their wishes
and should be given more in
formation on the matter. Just
who should carry the ball IN
this matter and start something
moving is another question.
Whether il should again be in
dividuals or some government
agency. he was not prepared TO
state.
The Public Housing Admin
istration which now controls
Willow Run at one time stated
that the buildings would be
removed after the war and that
the land would be sold.
Mr.. Hurrell in his report told
how the Planning Commission
when surplus lands in the Will
low Run area were going TO be
put no for sale. DELAYED actin.
until the Commission could wori
out q suitable zoning plan and
stop the lands from being thrown
into various uses.
The Planning Commission has
prepared a comprehensive reoe-
velopment plan OF the Willow
Run Townsite on maps showing
the area proposed for single fam
ily residence. multiple family
residence. business, parks and
Fairgrounds, small farms and
agriculture.
Both the ordinances and plans
are considered steps in prevent
ing economic development and
further blight OF the Willow Run
area. Mr.. Hurrell listed definite
recommendations for the coming
year. First the acquisition OF a
planning commission craftsman
TO work on needed maps, and
TO take over some OF the other
work Of the director such as: TO
complete inventory Of lands, use
maps OF the country: 10 estab-
lish a land use plan and get
out report on county industrial
development: issue complete
highway study. showing the use
OF present roads to expressways:
complete a preliminary zoning
ordinance for the county and
enlarge the services Of the COM