Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-18
SIum Work Delayed
Senate Unit Is Told
Renewal Group
Cites Volume
OfAppIicotions
BY FRANCIS p. DOUGLAS

Richard L. Steiner, Urban Re-
Inewal Administration acting
commissioner. told Congress to-
day that it has been necessary
to defer action on some initial
applications for survey and
planning assistance in slum
clearance.
He testified before a Senate
Banking subcommittee that his
agency has $46.2 million left of
its 5000 million capital grant
authorization. On March /, he
said, about 1888 million was
reserved or was in the process
of being reserved for AL local
urban renewal projects and 10
demonstration projects.
In recent months" he said,
I'VE have received larger
volume of applications for new
projects than was anticipated.
Because of the desirability of
administering the program with
in the presently available con-.
tract authority, we are now di-
recting the $46.2 million balance
of available authority to the
most urgent needs of the exist
ing program.
/ He said this includes projects
in which acquisition and clear
ance Of slum areas has begun
or is about to begin.
City Officials Alarmed
The Urban Renewal Admins
tration's action has alarmed
municipal officials who fear for
their Slum-clearance programs.
In Washington. however, John
A. Remon. chairman of the Re-
development Land Agency. said
he believes the action will not
affect any of the projects here.
This particularly applies to the
two Southwest Washington prof.
ectS and to the two tentative
projects in Foggy Bottom and the
George Washington University
area. Urban renewal funds have
already been reserved for these.
The Districts agency also has
under way the big Northwest
urban renewal project. Mr.. Re-
mon said the new move by the
Government agency may cause
this project to be carried out in
smaller sections than intended.
but he did not believe it would
be materially delayed.
Asks Increase in Funds
Mr.. Steiner told the Senate
subcommittee headed by Senator
Sparkman of Alabama the adj
ministration is asking an in
crease of SITS million in capital
grant authorizations for the next
fiscal year. He said:
1T is. of course. extremely i'm
portant to the urban renewal
program that additional capital
grant authorization be provided
by Congress so there will be cap
ital grant authority sufficient to
cover necessary adjustments Of
fund reservations for existing
projects and for further program
growth"
+ Albert NJ. Cole. Housing and
Home Finance administrator,
said this SITS million increase is
necessary to permit communities
to continue their rapidly ex-
banding urban renewal pro-
grams
Sparkman Drafts Bill
With the aid of perfecting
legislation enacted at the last
session of Congress and new adj
HllIlISttdllNe approaches, ne
said, THE Federal urban renewal
program has now reached the
stage at which a large-scale at
tack can. for the first time. be
mace on the centuries-old prob
lem Of urban Slums and blight"
Senator Sparkman announced
he is introducing a bill to amend
the National Housing Act. to as
sists five categories of persons in
purchasing or renting houses
covered by mortgage insurance,
( These categories are those per-
sons displaced by urban renewal
projects, persons of moderate in
come. those unable to obtain
adequate living accommodations
in privately financed housing
because of race, creed or color.
elderly persons or those having
five or more dependents.