Evening star., 1953-06-28
Board Is Cool
To Pleas That Il
Delay Eyictions
Arlington Unit Gets
Petition on Behalf
Of 1000 Families

@ISS SbsbssSS
The Arlington County Board
gave a cold reception yesterday
to pleas that it delay eviction
e 1000 families from low-coSt
:. .:eral housing projects in the
nty.
ne appeal came from the
',ington Council Of Churches,
t :e Community Council for So
cal Progress and the Arlington
Council of Churchwomen.
After hearing appeals for the
hoard ito accept its RESPONSE
biiities" Chairman Robert A.
Peck replied:
Some sort Of conference
should be worked out. But we
are filled up with conferences for
a few weeks"
DeadIine is November l.
A November ! deadline has
been set for clearing out some
of the five projects slated for
destruction.
The board was given a survey
yesterday made by the council for
social progress. According to the
report, about half the families
checked in the four white
projects had incomes less than
$4,000 a year. In the colored
project, more than half make
less than $2,400 a year.
E. B. Whitten, president of the
church council. not only urged
the board to withdraw its objec-
ton to delaying the evictions,
but also asked it assume the
responsibility for helping the
residents find new low-cost houS-
ing.
He added if the board would
not accept the report of the
social progress council, 1t should
authorize its own study.
Hardships Predicted.
"The presence of cars and TV
aerialS in the projects should not
serve as a smoke screen to hide
the fact there will be a lot Of
suffering and hardShipS," re said.
Board member George M. Row
zee said he felt the low rental
unit dwellerS should take the
initiative themselves to find new
quarters. Veterans can buy low
cost homes without a down pay
ment now, he added.
But Vance Torian, a resident
Of the colored Carver project.
said there are no low-cost homes
being built for Negroes in the
county.
Mrs. A. j. Davis, vice president
of the churchwomen's group,
also noted that colored residents
need home television because
they cannot attend movies in
the county.
Explains Opposition.
Mrs, Leone Buchholz, board
member, made it quite clear she
was opposed to continuation Of
the Shirley Homes project near
her home. She said a great many
things had gone on in the prof.
ect that nearby residents should
not have to put up with.
Supporters of the delayed evic-
tion date said some builders in
the county were eyeing the low
cost housing field but they
needed time to get their projects
underway.
The board was urged to lower
some building and zoning code
regulations to permit construc-
ton of low-cost housing.
Sewer Bid Awarded.
The board yesterday also:
/. Awarded a bid for construc-
tion of sewer and water lines at
South Eads street and Army
Navy drive, for $49,836 to L. S.
Sorber of Vienna, Va.
2. Asked County Manager A.
T. Lundberg and Common
wealth's Attorney William j.
Hassan to report on the feasi-
bility. legality and estimated
take of an occupancy tax Of
$3.50 to $40 a unit"
8. Renamed North Madison
street to North Manchester
street in the Boulevard Manor
subdivision.
4. Authorized Mr.. HaSSan to
hire a fifth assistant common
wealth's attorney.
- S. Approved purchase of eight
lots for a total $1,000 in the
Douglas Park subdivision for a
playground.
6. Named Max Wehrly, for
mer county planning commission
chairman. to the Northern Vir-
ginia Regional Planning and De-
velopment Commission.
-