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

By Chorles Hoffmon
There is a great deal of worry
and anxiety mixed with bit of
bitterness among residents of the
Veterans Housing Project, op-
lerated by Montgomery County. 4
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 1877
veterans and their families, is
located in Sligo Creek 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.
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
eminent pensions. There are 453
children 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. "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
"a lot more good than the land
would if it were put into a 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
Imeaningful.
A survey completed yesterday
shows that, of 50 families who
have left the low-rent project. 35
have bought homes. Another "a
; left for better quarters. ~
Most of us came here to get
on our feet" Mrs. Theodore r.
Crutchfield said. Mrs.. Crutch-
field was hanging clothes on the
new lines, recently erected by the
county in the rear Of the build
ling. & aa@ 8 =
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
1880 a week
The Crutchf1elds now are COM
ling along all right and have paid
flor most Of their furniture. They
lhad figured that, in a year or so,
they would be able to save enough
for a down payment on a house.
We're worried, and so are our
lneighbors," Mrs. Crutchfield said.
But I suppose wen get along
somehow"
Five Children in Family.
The Milton Hancocks have five
ichildren and live on Forest Glen
, road. Mr.. Hancock. paradoxi-
cally, is superintendent of the
! Sligo Park golf course, operated
by the planning commission,
which wants the housing units
: torn down.
. my husband makes 500 9
week. and $35 Of that goes fol
: groceries," Mrs. Hancock said
y Where will we go? People don't
: want to rent to large families like
: ours"
Mrs. Caleb j. Saulpaw of 953:
!, Sligo Greek parkway has one O.
the most attractive and well-kep
:. single family units in the project
"It's terrible to think they'r,
), going to do away with it," sh,
said. "Most of these people com.
;, here for start. Most want {
house and some of them have beer
able to put a little aside for ,
down payment while they livet
here
Mrs. Saulpaw is proud Of he
home, and so are most Of tn
other tenants. The house has /,
fresh coat of white paint on tn