Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-07
Construction
Flaws Charged
In Project
BY ALFRED p. ALIBRANDO
star stan Writer

The report. for the fiscal
years 1854 through 1858, has
been filed in the House Speak
er's Office. 1t said inadequate
drainage facilities for one Sec
ton of the East Capitol DWELL
ings caused serious soil ero-
sion, damage to interior walls,
flooded crawl spaces I'M
dermining of walks, exposure
Of underground gas lines, loss
of rental revenues, and health
and safety hazards" Cor
receive work is now under way
at an estimated cost of $780,
900.
But the audit says the Ma
tional Capital Housing Author
ity was warned in 1854. when
the Public Housing Authority
reviewed plans for the project.
that rain drainpipes be con-
nected to underground piping
since the soil is sandy and
easily eroded."
Even while approving plans
for the project in March, 1854,
PHA again issued a similar
warning. But the housing
agency replied it would proceed
with a surface drainage system
to keep down the cost of the
project and because "a partial
underground system would
be of doubtful benefit :"
Terraces Damaged
In January, 1856, four
months after the project was
completed, an NCHA project
housing manager reported that
"a considerable number Of .
Sloped terraces have been
damaged by water running
from downSpoutS. Some gut
tiers measure foot deep. Top
soil has been washed away COM
pletely from many areas
Despite a recommendation
from the project manager that
repairs be made Immediately to
, halt the damage, NCHA did
, not enter into a contract for
: plans to correct the trouble
/, until January. 1858. -.
Meanwhile, an NCHA hous-
ing manager reported that
+ water had come through the
walls of 81 dwelling units and
recommended that Ill units be
, waterproofed.
J The audit also found fault
. with the workmanship in the
installation of hardwood floors
and water pipes in some units
of the East Capitol dwellings.
Floors Buckle
The housing authority re-
ported floors buckled in Sc
apartments. The contractor re-
fused to repair any floors other
than those in five units re-
ported defective by the NCHA
before expiration of the one
year guaranty period. The
NCHA repaired all the floors
and withheld the cost from
money due the contractor.
Since that time" says the
audit, "buckled floors have been
a continuing maintenance
problem but no further
action has been taken against
the contractor. NCHA's oper-
ating budget for 1859 provides
for the expenditure of $1,676
to repair buckled floors"
Failure of the plumbing con-
tractor to tighten bathroom
pipes caused plaster to disinte-
CRATE around bathtub faucets
lin at least three-fourthS (293l
units" in one section, the report
stated. The condition was not
reported to the contractor, the
audit said, although NCHA
had budgeted $1.195 for repairs.
The Controller General rec
commended that the NCHA in
spect the work of the contrac-
tor responsible for the defects
more closely in other projects
and that if Significant defects
are noted in newer projects
refuse to accept bids from
him for the construction Of
future projects"
Renting Lag ASSailed
The audit also took the hous-
ing agency to task for not
renting new and old units i'm
Immediately, although the agency
had more than 1000 eligible
applicants on file. The audit
estimated the housing agency
lost $4,000 through delays in
renting newly completed units
and about $4,000 on vacant
older dwellings.
NCHA defended the vacan-
cies on the grounds that it
must find enough higher in
come tenants, able to pay
higher rents ito keep the whole
program solvent. The agency
also backed its policy of per-
hitting applicants to refuse
dwelling units and still retain
their preference status"
The NCHA conceded that
this policy contributed to delay
in renting vacant units. but
said:
Many of the families now
being housed are forced to va
cate their present living &C
commodations (by slum clear
ance, highway and other public
works projects. Since we are
dealing with individual human
beings, they should be given
some right of selection as where
thew would like tn live a"