Evening star., 1954-05-13

Fight Stirs Unit
T0vieW Sites
Lawmakers Will See
Houses Called Unfit
After Owners Protest


The measure would give the
District authority to repair or
remove condemned inSanitary
dwellings where owners refuse to
do it themselves.
Witnesses testifying in favor
of the bill before the House Dis
trict Judiciary subcommittee ar
gued that it costs the Health
Department alone over $50, 900
annually just to supervise va
cant, condemned buildings, that
they are "a spawning grounds
for delinquency" a source of
many health problems and a
fire hazard.
Board Criticized, Also.
Opponents attacked not only
the bill but the present ad-
miniStration of the Board for
the Contemplation, Of Insani-
tary Buildings. This is the
board which would be given in
creased powers under the pend
ing bill.
Col. Giles L. Evans, jr., as
sistant Engineer Commissioner
and chairman of the Condem-
nation Board, estimated that
approximately 5000 buildings
here have deteriorated to the
point where they are unin-
habitable. He said more than
400 are now condemned and
vacant.
Defending the amount of re-
pairs required by the Board be-
fort a condemned building can
be occupied again, Col. Evans
said the Board has learned
through bitter experience" that
If thorough repairs are not re-
quired, the same building will
become a problem again in a
short time"
Representative Hyde, Repub-
lican, of Maryland. said he had
heard complaints that where in
SpectorS see a crack, they require
the owner to tear out the plaster
along a whole wall.
Col. Evans replied that if a
crack were the only defect, tear
ing out all the plaster would not
be required.
Calls Many Disreputable.
William H. Cary, jr., the
Health Departments director of
public health engineering and
target of much of the criticism
from opponents of the bill, testi-
fed that some of the condemned
buildings should be repaired and
used, but many are so disrepu-
table that it would cost more to
repair them than to put up a
new building. Mr.. Cary defended
the boards standards as rea-
sonable.
Representative league, Dem
ocrat, of Texas asked Mr.. Cary
what he thought Of the much
publicized Baltimore plan Of
home rehabilitation. Mr.. Cary
responded that he understands
Baltimore is now overhauling it's
standards to get better repairs.
He said Baltimore made a good
approach, "but it wasn't good
enough"
Accuses Board.
Attorney William T. Hannah,
who said he represented group
Of realtors and investors in op-
posing the bill, contended the
Condemnation Board has de-
clared "open season on landlords
and Is trying to get rid of pri-
vate homes to make way for
public housing"
He warned that giving the
board additional powers was
"conf1scatory and dangerous.
Mr.. Hannah asserted that in
some cases after owners had
spent $500 to $4,000 repairing
their homes and the repairs ap-
proved by building inspectors,
homes were condemned less than
a month later.
Mr.. league waved a set of
pictures of condemned dwellings.
IF you can find filthier, dirtier
places than these any place in
the world" Mr.. league told the
witness. I'D like to see them.
It doesn't look like a dime has
been spent on these places in the
last so years."
Mr.. Hannah emphasized that
the condemnation laws should
include specific standards so
owners would know exactly what
they had to do to comply. He
said that without these stand
ards, he believed the law which
has been on the books since 1906,
is unconstitutional.
More Restraint Asked.
Opposition also came from
LLOYD E. Turner, president Of the
District Association Of Small
Property Owners.
I'VE feel" he said. "that the
board must be restrained from
the Impractical and tyrannical
use Of its powers. Otherwise.
privately owned low cost hous-
ing and low rental housing viii
be forced out Of existence and
public housing supported by the
taxpayer will be the only resort. /"
Mr.. Turner said his associa-
ton wanted time so it could de-
velop an educational program
for tenants.
Testimony favoring the bill
came from John K. Hoskins. re-
presenting the Washington
Housing Association, and Harold
Levy, representing the Fedora
ton of BusinesSmen's ASSocia-
tions. A statement favoring the
bill was filed by Mrs. Franz OPP
penheimer.
Representative O'Hara. Re-
publican. Of Minnesota, subcom-
mittee chairman, said he would
hear more witnesses tomorrow.