Evening star., 1954-12-10
1,5OOUnifs Proposed
To House Families
Leaving SIum Areas

@O0vsHS 1sUsss R%sVU9
The National Capital Housing
Authority yesterday took steps
toward seeking construction of
up to $500 new public housing
units for ow-income families
displaced by slum clearance
projects in the District.
The authority approved pre-
liminary action toward an ap-
plication to the Public Housing
Administration to obtain the ad-
ditional construction ALLEGATION
in keeping with relocation needs.
The additional units would be
ready to help relocate families
from the Southwest Redevelop-
ment Project c, hoped to be
under way by then. and also the
beginning influx from any de-
molition that may be started In
the Northwest urban renewal
area.
The authority took action
after receiving staff reports that
present public housing will be in
adequate to care for all the low
income families expected to be
displaced by the city's slum
clearance projects.
% NCHA Projects.
NCHA now operates 5,245 units
In % projects, located mostly in
the Northeast and Southeast
sections of the city. Three more
projects of 1884 units have been
launched, with construction
either under way or slated for
next year.
OF more than 500 families al
ready moved from the Redevel-
opment Land Agency's Area B
redevelopment project. 205 have
been placed In existing public
housing, and about 300 more
have found private housing, it
was reported.
Places in public housing proba-
bly, will have to be found for
some 800 more families in the
Area B project. The only future
resources in immediate prospect
are 1856 units being constructed
on East Capitol street.
Not all families displaced by
slum clearance will be eligible for
public housing. Eligibility de-
pends on income.
$500 Families In Area.
About $500 families live in the
entire Southwest redevelopment |
area. including Area B, now un-
der demolition, and Area c, for
which plans are being drawn by
the New York firm Of Webb g.
Knapp for the land agency.
Since new construction planned
In the cleared areas is to be for
higher income families, a big |
proportion of the families now in
the area will have to locate else
where, the lowest income group
largely in public housing.
James Ring, NCHA executive
director. said an effort is being
made to find new public housing
sites that will avoid an overcon-
centration of public units In any
given area. He said he believed
planned demolition in the North
west area offers the housing au-
thorities it's best hope of finding
sites it can afford.
Federal Backing Limited.
NCHA builds it's projects with
private funds from the sale of its
Government-backed tax-exempt
bonds. The 1854 Housing Act
limits the Governments backing
of such projects to $4,000 new
units in the current fiscal year.
It also for the first time limited
public housing not only to per-
sons of low income, but to those
displayed by slum, clearance,
public works, housing code en-
forcement and similar public ac-
tivity.
In addition, a city obtaining
public housing under the new
act must have a workable pro-
gram" for the prevention and
elimination of slums. An impor-
tant element of such a program
here is the new housing code. in
preparation.
In its action yesterday. the
housing agency voted authorize
ton to enable the chairman Of
the board, Commissioner Sam
uel Spencer, to take what ac-
tions might be necessary be-
tween now and the next meeting
to obtain the additional alloca-
x;4~% -nf ansN-%~,,n%fNva