, 1961-05-08
Charlotte Amalie
st. Thomas. Virgin Islands
My dear Mr.. President:

My dear Mr.. President:
return herewith, without my approval, Bill Nc.
1142, Third Legislature, Regular Session, 1860, TO Grant
Occupants of Single-Family Units in Emergency Housing
Projects a First Priority in Purchasing Said Units in Cast
of Sale by the Government passed by the Legislature
on May rs and presented to me for executive action on
May 81, 1860.
This Bill purports to grant to occupants of single-fam-
lily units in Emergency Housing a first priority to purchase
said units whenever. they are made available for sale. On
the surface, it is an appealing thought that occupants of
houses are to be given first priority for purchase thereof.
EBut, in a project designed to provide emergency housing,
such a provision would create several serious problems.
This housing is assigned to families on the basis of
their emergency need for housing at the time assigned.
The underlying thought, in keeping with the character Of
the project, is that these assignments are temporary. The
present regulations require recurring review and deterni-
nation, first at the end OF six months and then each three
months thereafter, as to the ability Of the family to secure
adequate housing in regular facilities of the community,
and to release their units for the use of other. families in
need of housing on an emergency basis. This principle is
reflected in the regulations and has the following impor-
tant advantage.
The family assigned to emergency housing retains its
eligibility for low rent public housing, On the contrary, if
the assignment assumed a permanent character, the eIgi-
bility Of the family for loW-rent public housing would
cease. The accommodations we offer in emergency housing
are not as desirable as in public housing. But the family
which accepted this emergency housing in a time of need
would be denied the opportunity to secure better accom-
imodations in public housing.
The family thus denied housing and given a right to
purchase the emergency house it occupies at the time the
Government is ready to sell, would undoubtedly have a
great urge to remain in it permanently. In such a siuta-
ton, for the management to urge a family to remove
would be to cause it to lose a valuable right. This then
would mean that almost every time a singlefamiIy emer-
Igency unit is rented, that unit would be permanently TAX
en- out of circulation. 1t would follow that to continue to
meet emergency housing needs, the Government would
be forced continually to expand this project, requiring an
increasing investment. There would be great difficulty
finding the land therefor and high prices would have to be
paid for it. The units built, admittedly of a temporary
character, would become a substitute for permanent hous-
ing which should be supplied through Federal Public
Housing, FILA, and private enterprise.
The assignment Of emergency houses would become a
formidable task if this provision applied. Every applicant
would want assignment to it Of a single-family house
rather than OF q unit in a notwithstanding house. The De
partment Of Welfare would have great difficulty determin-
inc q rationale as to which families Sho.ld ha ai.son TIC