Evening star., 1960-05-04
Rabaut Hits
Disfrict'sLaq
On Renewal
BY JAMES G. DEANE
Star stan Writer

NCpicSSIlJdJlNe 1dDduL, Dem- Il
ocrat of Michigan, today ac-
cused District officials of I'm
difference" in the conduct Of
the Capitals urban renewal /
program.
He declared at a House Dis |
trict Subcommittee hearing /
that the program has been |
dragging for years" adding |
''it shocks me-"
Commissioner Robert E. Nc
Laughlin, who with John R.
Searles, jr.. director of the
District Redevelopment Land
Agency. seeking to answer a
barrage of questions from Mr..
Rabaut and Representative
Abernathy, Democrat of Mis-
sisSippi, admitted Southwest
slum clearance, begun eight
years ago, has Jagged behind
exuectations.
Mr.. SearleS said only a dozen
other cities of some 200 also |
engaged in federally financed |
efforts are farther along. He |
and Mr.. Mclaughlin strongly |
defended specific practices |
which Mr.. Rabaut wants to
change. including negotiated |
contracts with developers in |
place of competitive bidding.
Abernethy Also Critical
Mr.. Abernethy, chairman of |
the unit studying a Rabaut bill
to revamp the city's renewals
law, Joined in criticizing the |
slow pace of the renewal effort. |
He and the Michigan legisla-
tor, who heads the appropria-
tions subcommittee which con- |
trolS the city spending, in
timated some use of the purse |
strings to force changes in re-
newal procedures.
The Commissioners, Mr.. Nc
Laughlin said, are unanimously
opposed to the Rabaut meas
ure, which besides competitive
bidding would require addi-
tional hearings and notice of
renewal plans to property |
owners and would bar new
projects until the Southwest |
program is 10 per cent COM |
pleted.
The Rabaut bill was SUD-
ported by Lester H. Steinem.
president Of the West End |
Citizens Association. Kindon
Gould, jr.. attorney and park
ing operator, and Harry A.
Barbour, public relations man.
Mr.. Steinem and Mr.. Gould
particularly opposed plans for
a Columbia Plaza" renewal
project in the Foggy Bottom
area, charging that property |
owners had not been properly |
consulted and that the area
does not need a renewal plan. |
"Overplanning" Feared |
Mr.. Abernethy told the city |
officials that under present law
they could clean out the whole
town and do nothing" He
suggested that the program
may be "overplanned" and that
too many people may have a
hand in it.
If it be true that the devel-
opment here is ahead of that in
many other cities. then there
is certainly a lot of foot drag
ging going on in some other |
cities" he asserted.
If it's dragging like this all |
over the country this is a bo-
nanza for some people that |
want to drag" he added.
Questioning why Congress
should not require more con-
sideration for displaced prop
erty owners-in notifying them
OF renewal plans. hearing their
views and helping them obtain
new places to live-Mr. Aber-
nethy asked what would happen
If the provisions of Mr.. Rabaut's
bill were tackled on TO the Dis
trict'S annual appropriation.
Sees Difficulties Later
Mr.. Mclaughlin said renewal
funds at the outset come from
the Federal Government. but
added that the city might later
be in difficulties if restrictions
were tackled on.
The Commissioner contended
officials had done everything
they were supposed to in the
way of hearings and other re-
neWal actions and charged that
There are some in the COM
munity unenthuSiastic about |
renewal because they haven't
liked the effect on the slum
properties that they own"
He and Mr.. Searles both said
competitive bidding wouldn't
work properly for most of the
renewal program.