Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-02
; Housing Code
Teams Set for
Inspections
Checking Homes
In l0-Block Area OFF
Massachusetts

Massachusetts
District housing inspection
teams today prepared to make
their first check of Washington
dwellings compliance with stand.
ards in the city's newly adopted
housing code.
Cabell Gwathmey, director Of
the Department of Licenses and
Inspection, said three two-man
inspection teams were assigned
to house-to-houSe checks Of q
10-block triangular area bound
ed by First street and MasSa-
chusetts and Constitution ave-
nues NE.
This section is part of a larger
55-block triangle. bounded by
First street and Massachusetts,
and North Carolina avenues. in
the Northeast and Southeast
sections. Mr.. Gwathmey earlier
this week earmarked this tri-
angle for the first intensive
area-wide compliance check.
Reconnaissance operations
were to be conducted today in
preparation for house-by-h ouse
checks probably starting Tues
day. Today, the men will size
lup the outside areas to decide
which teams will start on which
blocks.
At its first meeting yesterday.
the District Urban Renewal
Operations Committee, made up
Of heads of all agencies involved
in slum clearance and rehabili-
tation programs, gave general
approval to the large area Sc.
lected by Mr.. Gwathmey for in
Itensive inspection.
But the committee specifically
recommended that the inspec-
ton begin within the smaller 10.
block triangle.
Col. Robert Mathe, Assistant
Engineer Commissioner, who
also serves as District housing
Ico-ordinator, said the commit
tee decided to concentrate on
the northeast corner Of the big
area because considerable ac-
tivity already is under way there
by citizens who are voluntarily
lrehabilitating homes.
The inspectors will notify
property owners Of any improve
ments needed to bring structures
into compliance with the new
code requirements. The prop
erty owners will be given a rea.
sonable time to do the work.
Definite Plans Contemplated
Eventually. Col. Mathe said,
the area-wide code enforcement
programs will be conducted
within specific areas designated
for all sorts Of urban renewal"
improvement. Each of these
areas will have a definite plan.
showing which blocks should be
razed. which simply need reha-
Utilization and which might be
left alone entirely. Armed with
such a plan, the housing code
inspectors will be able to con-
centrate only on the blocks
slated for rehabilitation.
Mr.. Gwathmey selected the area
near the Capitol for immediate
inspection because Cd it does
not conflict with any immediate
redevelopment plans and (2) it
is an area of intensive voluntary
improvement.
The most likely section to be
added, officials said, is just north
|of Massachusetts, avenue, where
voluntary rehabilitation also In
going on.
Study Group Named
Col. Mathe appointed five.
man subcommittee to study the
possible expansion and report
back to a committee meeting
in two weeks. Named to the
subcommittee were Mr.. Gwath-
mey, John r. Searles, jr.. Re-
development Land Agency direc-
tor; Charles Conrad, National
Capital Planning Commission
technician; Henry G. Ashton.
District Zoning Commission staff
member, and Sam Harrison, di-
rector of streets.
In addition to this approach.
however, Mr.. Gwathmey already
has begun to screen applications
for renewal of licenses to oper-
ate apartment houses, rooming
and tenement houses. hotels
and convalescent homes against
the new code provisions.
The operating committee,
meanwhile, decided to meet on
the second and fourth Mondays
of each month to keep a close
check on the myriad of prob
lens which are certain to arise
in code enforcement.
Meetings initially will be closed
to the press, Col. Mathe said, be-
cause the program still is in Its
formative stages"
Col. Mathe also announced
that members Of a citizens adj
visory group-the Urban Re-
newal Council-will be sworn in
at District Building ceremony
September 10.