Evening star., 1952-11-21
Quality Of Housing
In Southwest Seen
Ringing on investors

The decisions of mortgage-lend-
ers. bankers and other private in
vestors may determine whether
the redevelopment of Southwest
Washington should accent homes
for high or low income residents,
representatives of IS citizens
groups were told yesterday.
This sentiment was expressed
by John R. Searles. jr., director of
the Redevelopment Land Agency,
at a luncheon meeting of the
Washington Clearing House on
Urban Redevelopment, Slum
Clearance and Housing. The
meeting was held in the YWCA.
Mr.. Searles. discussing plans to
make over 427 acres Of the South
west, said the most serious con-
flict centers on two concepts.
One school Of thought, headed
by Architects Louis Justement and
Chloethiel Smith, he said, holds
that the character of the South
west must be drastically upgraded
by centering on high-income
groups.
Sees Solution by Lenders.
The other, he said. holds the
emphasis should be on lower-in-
come residents, with some high
income dwellings later. This
largely reflects the view of the
National Capital Planning Com
mission, which has submitted a
tentative plan to the District
Commissioners.
"I think the argument will be
solved by lending agencies which
will participate in building this
project" Mr.. Searles said.
"It is my opinion" he added,
that the lending agencies will not
approve of both approaches.
Which way they will go I do not
know"
John Nolen, jr.. NCPC director,
told reporter there is reason
to believe investors will be willing
to finance some high-incoFne
dwellings, as the commissions
plan now stands. If it developg
there is no such interest, he said.
it still will be possible to con-
centrate on some homes for mid
dle-income bracket" families.
Asks Project b Support.
Mr.. Searles and Mr.. Nolen,
meanwhile. joined in pleas for
support of NCPC plans to work
out the first project of the re-
development program. This calls
for rebuilding a 76-acre tract,
called Project B, between South
Capitol and Fourth streets. It
will be the subject of a District
Building public hearing Decem-
ber II.
Mr.. Searles said he was COM
|pletely confident his agency could
meet the re-housing needs of l.
345 households in the 76-acre
tract.
Mr.. Searles and Mr.. Nolen were
questioned after their talks by a
panel made up of John Ihlder,
director of the National Capital
Housing Authority; DR.. John r.
Pate, director of the Southwest
Health Center, and John B. Dun
can, District Recorder of Deeds
and president of the Federation
of Civic Associations.
Mr.. Ihlder said the NCPC plan
is "the best of any that have
been put before U.S." But the key
question unanswered in his mind,
he said, is what will happen to
a large number of families who
neither can qualify for public
housing nor afford private DWELL
ings elsewhere.
No Segregation.
Answering questions by Mr..
Duncan, Mr.. Searles said Cd no
racial segregation will be per-
mitted in the rebuilt areas and
90 it would be unwise to put
public housing into such areas.
He said that to duplicate the two
Federally-sponsored programs in
the same area "can only lose tax
payers dollars"
In answer to DR.. Pate, Mr..
Searles said some Of the lowest
income residents of project B will
become part Of welfare agency
case-loads.
the end Of the redevelopment will
mot work The rea con cLo cot,