Evening star., 1949-10-09

| NATHANIEL 5. KEITH.
to the local community as we'll
But the act permits Federal
grants to take care of only up to
two of the loss The local
community is supposed to absorb
the rest.
In figuring what grant it will
make, the Government says the
loss" will be the amount of the
difference between the sum that
is paid out to acquire the land and
| get it in shape for sale or lease
to some one who can use it, and
the amount the user will pay
for it.
Local communities wishing to
undertake slum clearance projects
won't, necessarily, have to pay
out any cash to meet their mini
mum one third share of the loss,
so long as they. instead, donate
land. services, buildings or i'm
provements representing that
one-third share.
Whether or not there was ter
rife wisdom behind this program
depends on your viewpoint, and
there is no point, at this late date,
in attempting to go over the long,
involved arguments pro and con,
on this legislation.
Residential Use Is Goal
Since Congress has approved the
undertaking we probably are safe
IN assuming-as the Housing and
Home Finance Agency does-that
the legislation was approved ito
help remove the impact of the
slums on human lives"
To carry out this general idea
the housing act provides that
Federal aid be limited to the cost
of assembling and clearing areas
which "either are predominantly
residential in character prior to
clearance or which will be rede-
veloped primarily for residential
use"
So we see that this is not a pro-
gram to demolish slums, alone, but
one by which slum areas can be
indirectly attacked through crea-
ton of suitable sites for new
housing. This kind of redevelop-
ment would add to the housing
supply and thus. presumably, help
to remove the impact" of slums.
Four Types of Projects
The types of local projects which
may be aided, under this broader
than slum clearance legislative
concept, can be described, briefly
as follows:
1. Slums or blighted residential
areas.
2. Non residential blighte q
areas, such as commercial or in
dustrial areas suitable for reclama-
ton for primarily residential use
8. Predominantly open areas
such as "defunct or arrested" SUBJ
divisions needing their nails filed
a facial and, possibly, per-
manent.
4. Open areas, described as land
on which there are no buildings
slums or otherwise-which a COM
munity may figure it needs fol
sound community growth" In
the case of such a project, the
Government will loan money to
acquire the land, but will make
available no capital grant to pro-
vide for any losses incurred In
making it available for develop
ment.
Up to now, Mr.. Keith told us
about $50 communities have beer
in touch with him to inquire what
they can do about participating
in this program. The first thing
community officials must find out
If they do not already knows
whether State laws give them ad.
equate legal authority.
Twenty-one States do not have
slum clearance and urban rede.
velopment enabling legislation, but
in a number of such States the
local communities could go aheac
under public housing legislation
or other general legislation.
$50 Want to Start
Before any community goes
very far, HHFA says. it should
find out whether legal authority
exists covering. among other
things, the following:
1. Establishment of local pub
lie agency with powers to engage
IN slum clearance or urban re-
development. g.
2. Authority for development oil
city master plan.
8. Authority to acquire property
under the power of eminent do
main.
4. Authority to sell and lease
land at "reuse value"
S. Authority to borrow and ac-
cept Federal capital grants.
6. Authority to make loca.
grants for this type Of project.
! Z. Authority to rehouse fam.
lilies displaced from land acquired
Without locally sponsored un.
dertakings, HHFA's Slum Clear.
ance. and Redevelopment Division
will have nothing to do, since
Federal responsibility is primarily
financial and supervisory.
Every project assisted under
this program must be a local un.
dertaking. locally planned, local.,
approved, locally managed and de.
signed to serve local needs" Mr.
il Keith said.A