Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-18
District Planning
SIums Co-ordinator
To Map Program
Plea for More Funds
At Senate Hearings
DiscIoses Proposal
By Miriom Gutenberg

Engineer Commissioner Louis
w. PrentiSS today unveiled the
city's plan for a super housing
co-ordinator to develop a COM
prehensive slum clearance and
slum prevention program here
and get all the agencies together
to carry it out.
The plan was outlined before
a Senate appropriations sub
committee in justifying a new
request for $24.350.
Gen. PrentisS named Assistant
Engineer Commissioner Giles
Evans, jr., as the top man."
The money requested would pay
for the salaries of a program
analyst and secretary and for a
consultant hired under a $4,000
contract to prepare the plan.
The appropriations subcom-
mittee considering the District
budget was told that under the
Federal Housing bill of 1854 now
in conference, the District
would not be entitled to Federal
funds unless it prepares COM
prehensive program "for effec-
lively dealing with the problems
of urban slums and blight and
for establishing and preserving
a well-planned community"
The $4,000 conSultant would
assess the District problems and
would wo K with District. Fed
eral am. private agencies in
preparing a comprehensive,
workable program.
The new housing co-ordinator
and his staff would coordinate
the development and the subse-
quent execution of the approved
program.
Gen. Prentiss told the Subcom-
mittee that about Is District
agencies now have a finger in
the pie on slum clearance.
Among them he mentioned the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, the Rede-
veloping Land Agency, the Ma
tional Capital Housing Agency.
the Health Department, the De-
partment of Licenses and In
spection, the Fire Department,
the Police Department. the Cor
poration Counsels Office, the
Washington Housing Association,
the Building Code Advisory
Committee, the Housing Code
Committee, the Federation of
Citizens Associations. the Fed
Grafton of Civic Associations, the
Real Estate Operators. and the
new Planning Committee of
Businessmen.
1--WE have to have some people
to work at the top level to in
sure that whatever plan is de-
cided on goes forward without
duplication" Gen. Prentiss ex-
planned.
The co-ordinator will see to it.
for instance. that the Licenses
and Inspection Department will
know what part it will play and
does not require restoration in
an area which the Redevelopment
Land Agency says it is going
to tear down.
He said a great deal of ma
terial has been collected by some
of the agencies in the slum clear
ance and redevelopment field but
the city lacks any comprehensive
plan to eliminate slumS.
Commissioner Samuel Spencer
added his voice to the plea for
funds on slum clearance. He
said he did not believe that the
city has had an effective pro-
gram in the past and that it
should do its part to carry out
the national program.
Commissioner Spencer empha-
sized that housing inspection
and enforcement was a key and
vital part of this program" Both
Commissioners made it clear
they would speak emphatically
in behalf of the 20 additional
housing inspectors they need for
the new housing division of the
Licenses and Inspections Depart
ment. This division will play a
major role in slum prevention
! and rehabilitation.