Evening star., 1952-11-21
architects Call
Southwest P| an
Unimdgindtive'
Excessive Low-Income
Housing Is Viewed as
questionable Asset
By George Beveridue

AAANAA4SNSOo ASOAAO Ou0tC111CI1U 011N
Chloethiel w. Smith today accused
the National Capital Planning
Commission of ''timid, unimag-
NATIVE and defeatist" approach to
the redevelopment of Southwest
Washington.
The architects, in a strongly
worded statement, attacked and
urged revision of plans SUBJ
mitted to the District Commits
sioners November IL as general
guide" to clear slums and rebuild
a 427-acre residential and COM
mercial area.
The architects conditionally
went along with more specific plans
to begin the slum- clearance pro-
gram in a 76-acre tract known
as Project B. This smaller area,
containing the Southwest's worst
slumS, is bounded by Fourth and
South Capitol streets and E and I
streets. The Commissioners will
hold public hearing on the B
area plan December II.
The NCPC stressed that its
general plan for the entire 427-
acre area is only tentative and
subject to change.
Attacking it's basic philosophy
however, Mr.. Justement and Mrs
Smith said the proposals are con-
trary to the economic interest of
the city and provide for excessive
ow-income housing which would
be "a very questionable asset"
They accused the planners of
taking an easy out by attempting
to rebuild too many new dwell
ings for the Southwest's present
inhabitants. They questioned also
whether private enterprise will be
willing to pour money into the
Southwest unless the basic plan
ming is changed.
They urged. instead, that the
NCPC come up with 3 new plan
Its premise, they said, should call
for drastic improvements in the
area. sufficient to attract high
income residents who now are
seeking homes in the suburbs.
Their proposals, creating the
most controversial issue of South
west redevlopment, raise these
basic questions: How much en-
phaSis should be put on rebuilding
the Southwest as a high tax-pro-
ducing area? To what degree
should redevelopment money be
used to take full advantage of
the natural beauty of the water
front? To what extent must the
area provide for needs of it's pres
ent residents?
See Faults in B Plan.
Mr.. Justement and Mrs. Smith
found some faults with the Prof.
ect B plan. But, to avoid further
delays, they urged that the Com
mlssloners approve it condition
ally.
THE approval of the proposals
for the Project Area B, however, "
they said, Should be made con-
tingent upon the disapproval of
the planning commission proposals
for the entire Southwest survey
area.
"The planning commission
should be requested to formulate
a new statement of the objectives
sought by the redevelopment and
secure general agreement on these
objectives before preparing or ap-
proving any more plans for the
survey area as a whole"
MIR. Justement and Mrs. Smith
hired by the Redevelopment Land
Agency, earlier this year drew up
a Southwest plan which accented
high-income dwellings, amid beau
tiful surroundings. The NCPC's
own plan generally has been re-
garded as a compromise between
the Justement-Smith proposal
and an earlier plan accenting low
income dwellings.
The architects, however, denied
even that the new plan is a COM
promise. They said the planners
have geared their thinking to a
loW-income, m-clearance pro-
gram-"despite pious phrases and
endless statistics which obscure its
meaning to all but the most pa
tient and attentive reader"
Question of Re-Housing.
The NCPC. in it's general plan
contended that it is completely
unrealistic to propose that the
lower-income residents be dis.
placed to be housed elsewhere
1t said such locations elsewhere
simply are not to be found ir
adequate numbers. and added:
"a plan based on the use o1
public money to accomplish q
public purpose cannot ignore socia
values of such Importance
without a reasonable plan for
replacement"
The architects argued that the
inf1ationary period in housing is
nearing an end and that the
housing shortage already is be-
ing converted into a buyers mar
ket."
They said the Southwest can
attract higher-income residents
only If:
l. Redevelopment is planned
with this end in view."
2. An attractive entrance to
the new area is created from the
Mall"
Modern Shopping Area.
3. A new. modern shopping area
is built.
4. The better gade of housing
is built "at an early stage . and
permitted to expand eastward Gin
the slum-clearance area) as far as
the demand justifies."
The architects said the NCpc
has met none of these conditions
and has not attempted to attract
weN-to-do residents because to
90 GA oA anV hefopfial ..11.