Evening star., 1950-12-11
Planners Warn
Unity Is Vital in
S|um Clearance
Can Be Achieved
Only by Agencies
Close Cooperation
By Nelson M. Shepard

sNSbSSu iva SuSR9Io
Redevelopment of Washington
slum areas is doomed from tn
start" unless all agencies con
cerned achieve closest co-opera
ton to provide decent, safe ant
sanitary housing for displaced
low-income families" the Ma
tional Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission warned today
A program of this kind must b.
undertaken as a united com
munity enterprise" the commits
sion stressed, backed by we'll
Informed public opinion"
The Planning Commission tool
stock of problems peculiar to th'
city's residential areas and an
ticipated growth in a 40-page re
port. Issued as second mono
graph of the 30-Year Comprehen'
sive plan, it details the highlight
with respect to orderly housing
and redevelopment set forth il
the recent Introductory summar!
report.
Based on an expected two millior
population for the metropolitan
area by 1880, the report suggest.
a need of at least 10000 addi.
tional housing units. or 1000 6
year. The basis is 3.5 persons
per family. The number of hous-
ing units cited takes no account
of demolitions that will come
about.
With the District expected tc
level off at one million population
no definite number of new units
was estimated. But in the Dis
trict, where only 10 per cent OF
the land is vacant. housing fol-
10 per cent of the present popula-
ton. or $500 persons could be
built at prevailing densities
These densities, however, are un-
desirable for future planning.
Contains Severe Indictment.
The report contains a severe in
dictment of housing conditions
in the National Capital. pointing
out that Congress had indicated
1t regards the District as "a pilot
example for the Nation" in the
application of the 1949 Housing
Act. In the District, where there
is a shortage of every type Of
housing, the report said doubling
up of families accounted for an
average of 3.8 persons per dwell
ing unit in 1948 as compared with
3.5 persons in 1910.
"A condition wherein people
are ill-housed is not fitting to
the character of the city that is
this Nations Capital" the report
declared. 1t added:
washington is a city where
impressive buildings face hand
some tree-lined streets. Yet, sor-
did slums are within sight of the
Capitol dome. Many of the
close-in residential sections are
convenient places in which to
live. Other outlying areas take
an hour or more to travel be-
tween home and work. In its res
idential area, the city has its
share of shabby construction
more than the usual share o1
good houses, an unusual number
of large-scale apartments and, ir
Georgetown, a rehabilitated area
that is rare in American cities
for convenience and charm"
Another Georgetown
Incidentally, the report says
that areas of the Southwest dis
trict could become another
Georgetown" and the proposed
East Capitol street public building
development, and the new north
west triangle" if carried out
would rehabilitate wide "blightec
areas"
Referring to various slum areas
which caused Congress to pro.
pose elimination of inhabited
alleys, the report reminded that
II per cent of all dwelling units
in the District area are listed a.
being either in need of major re.
pairs or without baths.
Engineer Commissioner Gordon
r. Young, a member of the Plan
ming Commission, emphasized ir
a statement prepared for the in
PRODUCTION of the report that close
coordination must be maintained
between the redevelopment ane
low-rent housing program.
ANY redevelopment of Wash
ington's downtown slums involves
eviction of low-income families
now living there" the report said
pOlIlOl1lS OUG ClldU IlCW PUb1lS
housing must take care of these
evictees If redevelopment is tt
succeed.
"By terms of law and common
humanity" it added, "it is re.
quired that displaced families
shall be offered substitute hous.
ing Of a decent, safe and sani'
tary' character, at prices the!
can afford"
Guide For Future.
Since the Comprehensive Plar
is a guide to future planning, tht
new monograph points to thre.
great planning problems in Wash.
ington residential areas: /. Tha'
of guiding new growth in the
suburbs. 2. The development O.
the small amount of vacant lane
yet remaining within the District
3. Replanning and rebuilding OBJ.
solete slum areas in the oldel
central areas.
The outlook for expenditures tt
execute plans for the redevelop.
ment program is dim.