Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-13
DuIcan Named Head
OF New Housing Code
Advisory Committee
Long-Awuited Proposals
For Stun Clearance
Rules Are Released

The District Commissioners
today appointed Charles B. Dull
can chairman of the new Hous-
ing Code Advisory Committee
and simultaneously released long
awaited proposals for a housing
code designed to prevent or re-
habilitate substandard dwellings.
Mr.. Dulcan, retired general
manager Of the Hecht Co., took
his oath of Office along with
nearly 40 other committee mem
bers in District Building cere-
monies.
Immediately afterward, the
new chairman met with a six
member steering group also
named today by the city heads
from the membership of the
overall committee.
Attending this organizational
meeting were William Dyer of
the District Building and Loan
League, James E. Scott. Wash
ington Real Estate Brokers AS
ISOLATION; Clarence w. Gosnell,
Washington Board of Trade:
Harvey l.. Jones, Washington
Real Estate Board; Mrs. Franz
Oppenheimer, Washington Hous-
ing Association, and Harry j.
Kane, District Bar Association.
Regular Meeting Due Monday.
The steering body called its
first regular meeting for 4 pm.
next Monday. At that time,
presumably, the members will
arrange for dividing the main
committee into q number Of
smaller groups.
Brig, Gen. Louis w. PrentiSS,
District Engineer Commissioner,
described the advisory commit
tee as a lone task proposition"
He said that its sole job will
be to obtain and correlate the
comments and recommendations
of the various agencies concerned
with housing here and apply
these suggestions to the pro-
posals contained in the newly
submitted code. The code rec
concentrations as they now stand
were prepared by special SUBJ
committee of the District Stun
Prevention and Rehabilitation
Committee.
Gen. Prentiss explained thai
the Commissioners regard the
committee" approach as tht
best means, of getting "coheren
and concrete" results.
Is Pages of Requirements.
The proposed code consists o
Is pages of finely detailed re
quirements for owners and oc
cupants of, in most cases, I'M
licensed dwelling units.
The code is divided into Mint
parts devoted to such housing as.
poets as light and ventilation
use and occupancy of habitablt
rooms. heating, plumbing anc
clerical services; maintenance
and repair of walls. floors. en-.
frances and cl1imneys and tn.
cleanliness and sanitation o.
dwellings down to such details Al
rat proofing, screening of en-
tranceways and the disposition
of refuse.
The proposed regulations alst
provide for the right of entry o.
authorized city inspectors at al
reasonable hours" in order to en-
force the code.
Another section establishes ,
review board, to be named b.
! the commissioners. that will hea
; appeals by those declared to b
j | in violation of the code.
City officials have pointed on
. that the housing code commit
tee will be expected to resolvI
: any conflicts between the pro
. posed code and existing regula
tons applying TO such Licenses
housing as tenement and room
ing houses.
|, When the committee has fin
/; ished its job. all the recon-
t mendations win be subjected +
q public hearing, after which tn
j commissioners viii finally ap
prove q code.