Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-27
Decisions Near
On -Four Major
S|un1 Problems
Conferees to Act
On Funds for q
More Inspectors
BY Miriom Ottenberq

By Miriam Gutenberg
The four major elements in
the Districts fresh determine
ton to attack slums reach the
critical stage this week.
Actions at both the District
Building and the Capitol will
determine whether the city will
get the manpower. laws and or
ganization to carry on q con-
certed drive to improve sub
standard housing and prevent
the spread Of slumS.
These are the scheduled de-
velopments in the anti-slum
field:
I. The Commissioners have
called a special board meeting
for 10 am. tomorrow to act on
a reorganization plan carrying
out their decision to fix all re-
sponsibility for housing inspec-
ton and enforcement in the De-
partment Of Licenses and In
spections.
% Housing Inspectors Sought.
2. House and Senate conferees
on the 1855 District budget will
meet early this week. Included
in this budget is provision for %
new housing inspectors-the
minimum considered to be nee
eSSary to carry on the Districts
new attack on slumS. These jobs
were approved on the Senate
side after the Commissioners
decision to consolidate its whole
anti-slum program. The Com
missioners frankly told the Sen
ate appropriations subcommittee
that the effectiveness of its anti
slum program depended on get
ting those inspectors.
3. A deadline of this Thursday
was set for completion of the
long awaited new housing code
which will bring all dwellings
within range of inspection. In
forcement of the housing code
will be one of the responsibilities
of the new housing division in
Licenses and Inspections. Half
of the men to do the inspection
are the ones awaiting approval
of the Congressional conferees.
Compromise Plan Expected.
4. A House District subcom-
mittee is expected to act early
this week on a compromise
measure to give the city the
power to compel owners to re-
pair or remove buildings con-
demned as inSanitary. In its re-
vised form, it gives more pro-
lection to the property owner
while assuring the city the legal
tools it has sought to bring old,
substandard buildings up to rea-
sonable sanitary conditions or
remove them.
General Administration Direc-
tor Schuyler Lowe, whose Office
drew up the reorganization plan
for housing, emphasized yester-
day that the only way to get a
concerted attack on Slums is to
fix the responsibility so directly
that the Commissioners will
know exactly where they stand.
The Health Department, which
lost its housing inspection role
in the merger, may try to get
Commissioners approval to keep
its supervision over some phases
of housing, particularly in con-
nection with plumbing and rats.
Mr.. Lowe emphasized that the
public health role in this merger
is setting health standards and
that continued housing inSpec-
ton by the Health Department
would defeat what the Commits
sioners intended when they de-
cided on the consolidation.
HOll Provides Analysis.
Management Oficer Kenneth
Holl gave this analysis of the
reasoning behind the merger plan
on which the Commissioners will
hear department heads tomor-
row:
Divided responsibility hasn't
worked.
The concerted attack on slums
sought by the Commissioners is
possible only If single unit has
the whole job.
The Commissioners will be
able to hold one man responsible
for the success of failure of the
program.
Past efforts to coordinate the
various departments which were
in the housing picture have
shown it is both time-consum-
ing and expensive to attempt
coordination when a single
agency could do the Job.
CIear-Cut Responsibility.
Phases of the reorganization
dealing with other aspects Of
the Department of Licenses and
Inspections will permit more
matters to be settled below the
level of the Commissioners.
The clear-cut responsibility
outlined in the reorganization
will make it easier to get a good
administrator to accept the I'M
filled job of housing boss.
The plan will give the Health
Department full authority and
responsibility to take the leader
ship in a comprehensive rat con-
troll program.
Housing. under the merger.
will get all the technical COM
petence of the Health Depart
ment in setting UP standards
without the price Of divided re-
Sponsibility and wasteful dupli-
cate inspections.
BY clarifying responsibility