Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-25

AEtC tC,tt VI fCotNStst ASsSSftEfl
hower's message to Congress
on housing and community
development folIotDs:
! submit herewith measures
designed to promote the efforts
of our people to acquire good
homes, and to assist our CONF
munties to develop wholesome
neighborhoodS in which Amer
lean families may live and
prosper.
The development Of condi-
lions under which every Amer
lean family can obtain good
housing is q major objective Of
national policy. It is impor-
tant for two reasons. First.
good housing in good neigh
bor1oods is necessary for good
citizenship and good health
among our people. Second.
a high level of housing con-
struction and vigorous COM
munity development are es-
sential to the economic and
social well-being Of our coun-
try, It y. therefore. properly
a concern of this Government
to insure that opportunities
are provided every American
family to acquire a good home.
In working toward this goal.
we must not be complacent.
The Federal Government must
provide aggressive and posi-
tive leadership. At the same
time actions and programs
must be avoided that would
make our citizens increasingly
dependent upon the Federal
Government to supply their
housing needs. We believe that
needed progress can best be
made by full and effective
utilization of our competitive
economy with its vast resources
for building and financing
homes for our people.
The building of new homes
provides only a partial solu-
ton to the housing problem.
The Nation has tremendous
assets in it's 81 million exists
ing non-farm homes. The fact
that 20 million of these are
owner-occupied demonstrates
the continuing efforts of our
people to have their own
homes, where the can raise
their families in self respect
and in good surroundings.
But 10 million of our existing
non-farm homes are more
than 80 years old. We must
encourage the conservation
and improvement of our exist
ing supply Of homes for the
important contribution this
can make to the raising Of
national housing standards.
Our housing deficiencies
continue to be serious. Mil
lions Of our people still live
in SlumS. Millions more live
in rundown. declining neigh
borhoods. The national in
terest demands the elimination
of slusm conditions and the re-
Mobilization of declining neigh
borhoods. Many of our local
communities have made good
progress in this work and are
eager to make further SUBJ
stantial improvements. but are
hard put to find the needed
resources.
The knowledge, the skills.
the resources and, most i'm
portant, the will to do this job
already exist in the Nation.
We have a private home build
ing industry and home financ-
ing institutions that are strong
and vigorous. We have a highly
skilled labor force. Savings are
high. While some Of our COM
munities are financially hard
pressed, they are increasingly
alert to the need both for i'm
proving their existing physical
plants and for sound growth
and development proportionate
to their expanding populations.
We have the unlimited re-
sources which grow from the
independence. pride and deter
mination of the American cit
izen. am convinced that every
American family can have a
decent home II the builders,
lenders, and communities and
the local, State and Federal
governments. as well as indi-
vidual citizens. will put their.
abilities and determination en-
ergetically to the task.
To help find the best way
to meet our national housing
needs, I recently appointed an
Advisory Committee on Gov
eminent Housing, Policies and
Programs. consisting Of lead
ing citizens experienced in the
problems of housing, mortgage
finance, and community devel-
opment. Under the chairman
ship Of the housing and home
finance administrator, this
committee has made an ex-
haustive study of existing Fed
eral housing programs. It has
also analysed numerous pro-
posals for the development Of
a program better adapted to
our present housing require
ments. The conclusions Of this
committee. and the results Of
our own studieSand experience
in administering present hous-.
ing laws. are reflected In the
recommendations ! am about
to propose. Several of these
recommendations provide an
entirely new approach to the
task of meeting our housing
needs.
Neiehborhood Rehabilitation
and Elimination and Prevention