Evening star., 1953-05-14
Ria Hits Proposal
For Housing Project
South Of Area B

The District Redevelopment
Land Agency will urge the Com
missioners not to approve a
Southwest Washington area pro-
posed as the site for a new public
housing project.
Approval is sought by the Ma
tional Capital Housing Author
ity for the site. bounded by M.
N. First and Fourth streets S.W.
It is south of Area B, the 76-
acre slum tract to be redeveloped
by the RIA.
RIA board members expressed
opposition to the site as a public
housing area at a meeting yes
terday. The Commissioners, the
discussion brought out, had
asked the RIA for comments in
March. At that time, according
to RIA Director John r. Searles,
jr., his agency asked that the
city heads take no immediate
action toward approval. He said
yesterdays discussion affirmed
the earlier recommendation to
the Commissioners.
Sees Problem Intensified.
Specifically, Mr.. Searles told
board members such a public
housing project would displace
many low-income families in
addition to those to be moved
in the Area B redevelopment pro-
gram. He said this would inten-
sify rehousing problems and also
would remove "a good tax recov-
cry area" from the large South
west section RIA wants to rede-
velop later.
The RIA and the NCHA face
similar problems when they move
into slum areas. Each must find
new homes for families displaced.
Under the NCHA program, the
slums are replaced by low-cost
dwellings administered by the
agency. Under redevelopment,
the slums are cleared and the
land sold to private investors re-
building.
James Ring, NCHA executive
director, said his agency was be-
ing forced to move into slum
areas because vacant sites for
public housing within the Dis
trict have been virtually ex-
hausted."
Reason for Proposal.
He explained that a site i'm
mediately south of Area B, from
I to M streets S.W., already has
been approved for public hous-
ing. The additional tract, be-
tween M and N streets, is being
sought, he said, because NCHA
had to surrender some of it's orig
inal site proposed to the Area B
redevelopment program. Area B
is bounded by Fourth, Eye and
South Capitol streets and the
Pennsylvania Railroad tracks.
Mr.. Ring said the south of
area B is sought for a 550-unit
project. It's planning is still in
preliminary stage. Approval of
the city heads is necessary before
the NCHA can enter an agree
ment with the Public Housing
Administration for final planning
and land acquisition.
Despite the land difference,
Mr.. Ring stressed that he want
ed to cooperate with the RIA
wherever possible in the conduct
of the two programs.
The RIA, in turn, also rati-
fled a proposed agreement with
the NCHA yesterday, looking to-
ward cooperation in rehousing
families displaced by both pro-
grams.
Other Actions Taken.
In other actions yesterday. the
RIA board:
/. Disclosed that Mr.. Searles
has received 100000 from the
Housing and Home Finance
Agency to further the Area B
program. The amount is part of
an $8.8 million Federal loan au-
thorized to pay part of the ex-
penses.
2. Announced that steps are
under way for a detailed ap-
praisal and title search of all
properties in the B Area. These
are necessary steps preparatory
to acquisition of the land by
the RIA.
3. Decided to try to get be-
fore the National Capital Plan
ming Commission at a meeting
next week the Area B rebuilding
plan proposed by the Bush Con-
struction Co., of Norfolk. Bush
Construction was selected to
carry out the program from