Evening star., 1952-08-16
Sligo Park Veterans
Voice Anxiety Over
Housing Problem
By ChorIes Hoffman

By ChorIes Hoffmon
There is a great deal of worry
and anxiety mixed with a bit of
bitterness among residents of the
Veterans Housing Project, op-
Ierated by Montgomery County.
Tongues were flying yesterday
as the wives of veterans asked
each other if the latest move to
do away with the project would
be successful.
Most seemed to agree it would.
The forces behind the move were
too powerful, they said.
The project. housing some 167
veterans and their families, is
located in Sligo Greek Park be-
tween Forest Glen road and Dali
las avenue. The park is under
jurisdiction of the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, which on
Thursday, asked that the project
be eliminated to make way for
expansion. of its own recreation
program. Death of the project
recently had been urged by the
county's powerful real estate
board, but for different reasons.
Questions of Their Own.
Most of the wives, being ques-
toned by a reporter, had questions
of their own:
"Where will we go? Where can
we find house or apartment we
can afford?"
Some of these mothers, more
than half of whose family incomes
were less than $500 a year, have
four. five and six children. Two
are veterans widows, whose sole
incomes are derived from Gov
ernment pensions. There are 453
ichildren in the development.
Mrs. Richard Barton, 9737 Sligo
Greek parkway, who lives in the
first little house on the left, just
off Forest Glen road, is the mother
of six children.
why are we here?" she repeat
ed. 1--WE wouldn't be here, if we
could afford another place to live.
We're trying to save to buy a
home to get out, but it's almost
impossible"
Then she added bitterly:
"These little houses are doing
Ia lot more good than the land
would if it were put into park"
Faith in Tenants.
Carl A. Krogmann, chief of the
County Building Division, has a
lot of faith in the projects ten
ants. He'll tell you the vast ma
jority of them are ambitious and
want to better themselves. And
he can prove it, if statistics are
meaningful.
A survey completed yesterday
shows that, of 80 families who
have left the low-rent project, IS
have bought homes. Another "a
left for better quarters.
Most of us came here to get
on our feet" Mrs. Theodore r.
Crutchf1eld said.
Her husband, Ted. is a barber,
just two years out of the Navy.
when we came here two years
ago, Ted had the fourth chair in
"a Silver Spring shop. Why, some
times he was lucky to bring home
$50 a week."
We're worried, and so are our
neighbors," Mrs. Crutchfield said.
But I suppose we'll get along
somehow"
Mrs. Caleb J. Saulpaw of 9535
Sligo Greek parkway has one of
the most attractive and well-kept
single-family units in the project.
Mrs. Saulpaw credits the county
and Henry E. Deel, manager of
the development, with the big
change in the attitude of the
tenants.
Before the county took over two
years ago, the place was a mud
hole. with oil drums, clothes lines
and battered cars cluttering up
what was supposed to be the
lawns, she said.
Today, the project is far from
being an eyeSore. The buildings
are wearing fresh paint. Oil
drums have been put in the rear.
slong with uniform clothes lines.
The area is well grassed, and the
shrubs are neatly trimmed. Huge
circular flower beds are found
throughout the development.
I But the planning commission S
request has stirred up more than
the projects residents.
| Col. Waldron E. Leonard, the
vociferous director of veterans
Iaffairs in the District, and long a
champion of the ex-GI. exploded:
What About Recent GIs?
! 1--WE beat our brains out a few
slyears ago to get these projects
etbuilt; now they're tearing them
down. It's a disease that's spread
ing. Where do they want these
S poor kids to go? They don't have
: large enough income to qualify
: for home loans"
Col. Leonard said the units ma,