The people's voice., 1955-01-21


will increase in the future.
! PUBLIC HOUSING RECORD
Although public housing has done
the best job to date in meeting this
growing need, not nearly enough four
and five bedroom units are available
to house large low-income families.
Nor have the hopes of those who
saw in the Housing Act of 1949 an
opportunity to make up the defici-
ency in large units been completely
realized.
But steps are being taken in the
right direction. More and more local
authorities are designing a larger
proportion of their units for the big
family.
| Cost provisions in the 1949 Housing
Act were written especially to permit
construction of large units for large
families because both housing ex-
perts and legislators realized that
under the 1887 program few big
families would be accommodated in
public housing.
BY substituting in the 1949 act
per room cost limit for the per unit
cost limit in the 1887 act, provision
was made for multi-bedroom dwell
ings.
However, shortly after the 1949
program got under way, the Korean
War gave rise to an economy drive
and the Public Housing Administra-
ton issued cost-cutting regulations
for the program. In1950, John Taylor
Egan, then PHA commissioner, issued
a circular asking that local authorities
not attempt to make up the entire de-
ficiency of large units in the early
stages of the program. He asked them
to give careful consideration to re-
serving portion of larger units for
construction later in the program.
Although the average number of
rooms per unit under the 1949 act
has not risen spectacularly over that
of the 1887 act (from 4.3 to 4.85, or
little more than half room more)
some local authorities have added
considerably to their supply of four
and five-bedroom units and have rela-
lively high percentages of big units
in their new programs.
For instance:
Gary, Ind, has 20 per cent of the i
400 units it has built under the 1949 |
act in four-bedroom units.
Daytona Beach, Fla, has 19 per
cent of its 1949 program in four and
five-bedroom units. One project,
South Street Park, was especially
designed for large families.
Everett, Wash, has 16 per cent of
its 150-unit Baker Heights Addition,
only 1949 act project in it's program,
in four-bedroom units.
Dallas has 15 per cent of it's new
in four-bedroom units.
Oxnard, Calf, has IL per cent of
it's 260-unit Colonia Village, only
1949 act project, in four-bedroom
units.
S-SOLUTIONS
Memphis has 10 per cent four and
program.
Lakeland, Fla. s only 1949 housing
act project, Washington Park Homes
IF 220 units, has 10 per cent four
and five-bedroom dwellings.
Philadelphia has per cent of its |
5otal 1949 act program in four and
ve-bedroom units.
Providence averages per cent of {
is new program in four and five
bedroom dwellings. ,
Not all communities have been as {
'ortunate as those listed above in I
setting even some large-family hous- !
ng under the federally aided pro- t
sram. Local conditions and local
vary widely, resulting in a !
-ariety of solutions" as well. d
In Milwaukee, a nonprofit agency, !
family Foundations, Inc, has been 7
ormed to help find homes for fami- b
les with many children. The organiz- t
+ of the foundation said public hous- 2
ng in Milwaukee is inadequate to T