Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-23
Bad Faith Charged
In Southwest Project
Calhoun Says
RIA Fails on
Pledge to Area

Southwest redevelopment thus
far clearly indicates the rede-
velopment land agency has not
kept faith" with citizens Of the
area. Leon s. Calhoun, president
Of the Southwest Civic Associa-
ton. charged today.
Mr.. Calhoun was among wit
nesses testifying at a public
hearing by the Commissioners
on the redevelopment proposal
for part of Southwest contain-
ing about 80 acres known as
area C-l. He commended the
plans call for less housing than
the section now contains. He
asked for as much housing as
possible, mot an area for con-
centrated hazards and COM
munity necessities that most
citizens want to be spared prox-
unity to-"
Hearing on Notifications
The Commissioners also held
a hearing today on proposed
notifications in Southwest Area
B. Nathaniel S. Keith, con-
sultant for Scheuer & Stevens,
which will rebuild this cleared
area, said it is hoped construc-
ton will begin there by late
summer or early fall.
Mr.. Calhoun declared the
area CT proposal plans to pro-
vide quarters for public service
centers such as flrehouse and
automobile testing stations, all
closer to schools than at present,
and apparently in the much
travelled and congested areas Of
low economic status families"
He estimated 90 per cent Of
the area is now in housing and
the proposal means about SO per
cent will be redeveloped in hous.
iing-"a stable loss of housing
area where housing is woefully
needed"
Stun Clearance 'Negated"
He said that as q result the
proposal negates slun clearance
by providing less housing and
undeniably means slum shifting,
perpetuating the urban housing
problem which millions Of dol
lars are being spent to remove.
Experience shows, he con-
ltinued, that when low economic
status families are displaced and
less housing is available. such
families "out of dire necessity
move into Easements, double up
lin small quarters, reduce good
housing to rooming house con-
Iditions and altogether develop
the nuclei for new slum areas. -
/ Mr.. Calhoun said the associa-
ltion hopes that the use Of area
C-l and subsequent steps in re-
development of Southwest ''bs
more in keeping with the hui
manitarian intent of the law,
live UP to the promises made the
citizens Of the Southwest COM
immunity, and effect a result which
clearly removes slums and its
social evils rather than perpetu-
ates them.
Searles Denies Charges
John r. Searles, jr., executive
director Of the redevelopment
agency, denied that the agency
has not kept faith with residents
of the area. He said plans still
contemplate 20 per cent low
rent housing in the Southwest
area as a whole.
I He said that some changes had
to be made as the planning went
along, but that the agency has
made efforts to keep the citizens
informed and that a meeting
had been held as recently as last
week.
He said that some of the spe-
ciflc points cited by Mr.. Calhoun
were stated inaccurately. For
example, Mr.. Calhoun quoted Mr..
Searles as having said at a meet
ing in November, 1851, that the
entire idea Of the redevelopment
program for area B was to re-
develop it so that most of the
present residents of the area
would be able to afford most Of
the rent and sales prices of the
Iredeveloped area.
Mr.. Searles said that there
was no area B set up at that
time, that it was not established
until May of 1852.