Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-05
Pub|icHousing Boost
Of OK'd
District Heads
Approve Rise in
Authorization

The District Commissioners
today approved an increase of
$500 in the number of low cost
public housing units authorized
to be built in Washington.
With Board President Samuel
Spencer presiding for his last
full day as a Commissioner, the
city heads also:
/. Approved a report from
Walter Lahde, director of the
city's reassessment program,
proposing that all new assess
ments resulting from the cur
rent survey be put on the tax
rolls simultaneously not later
than December 81, 1858.
2. Approved a revision of Dis
trict sign regulations to permit
use of signs of limited size in
residential areas with authorize
Ition of the Board of Zoning ADJ
ljustment
3. Postponed until tomorrow a
decision on which Commissioner
should testify Wednesday before
a Senate committee on a bill
providing for a 2,500-man police
force. The delay will allow for
decision as to the identity Of
the next president of the Board
OF Commissioners after Mr..
Spencer is succeeded by David
B. Karrick in ceremonies at
1890 am. tomorrow.
Swedes Get Key to City
/ 4. Gave a key to the city to a
visiting delegation of officials
from Stockholm. The Swedish
visitors then set out on tour of
the city, beginning a three-day
study of city planning. traffic
and mass transportation prob
lens. They said their visit re-
suited from 1.-The fact that we
are encountering ever-mounting
difficulties" with traffic in the
central commercial district of
the Swedish capital, where there
are about / million inhabitants
land a rapidly growing number
Of cars"
5. Turned down a request from
1.-THE st. Sophia Greek Orthodox
Church. Thirty-sixth street and
Massachusetts, avenue NV. for
total exemption from S1,518 in
real estate taxes. They ordered
the church to pay $875 in taxes
annually on part of the church
property which is still unde-
veloped.
6. Went into informal" ses-
sion on the Washington transit
crisis with the Public Utilities
Commission as the board meet
ing ended formally.
Approval of the increase in
authorized public housing units
came in the form of an amend
ment to the city's existing agree
ment with the National Capital
Housing Authority. The author
ity had asked for an increase Of
1000. but the Urban Renewal
Council recommended the figure
be cut to $500. 1t was pointed
out the Commissioners still will
have to approve each proposed
I project as it is developed.
i Assessment Answer
I The reaSsessment report was
formal answer to suggestions
for piecemeal listing of the re-
assessed properties made orally
in recent hearings before the
District Subcommittee of the
House Appropriations Commit
tee. The report listed six rea-
sons why lit would be inadvis-
able to attempt to put into effect
the reasSesSment in three sep
arate steps,"
I, The report said that under a
three-phase approach" the CO.
ordination of all phases of the
program would be so disrupted
as to jeopardize the successful
completion of the program by
December 81, 1858"
Also, the report said. consult
ants in the program were 100
per cent agreed that all as
SessmentS would become effec-
tive at the same time. Three
of the consultants went so far
as to state they would not &C
cept the contract under any
other conditions.