Evening star., 1962-09-16
Groups Plan
oPIead Case
On Renewal

Spokesman who want to keep
Isl rooming houses and 9 light
industrial firms in the Adams
Morgan area will defend their
position at a community PLAN
ming meeting tomorrow night.
Representatives of Is citizens
groups are expected to hear the
spokeSmen at the Adams-Mor-
gan planning committee meet
ing. Most Of the Is groups al
ready have indicated they favor
eliminating both types of uses
to upgrade the residential
areas. The Adams-Morgan area
is in the Kalarama Triangle
section Of Northwest Washing
ton.
The proposal to use coming to
eliminate rooming houses was
explained to the planning COM
mittee last month by Phil A.
Doyle, Redevelopment Land
Agency executive director.
Only q few rooming house
operators were present for the
meeting. Frank Calcara, presi-
dent Of the District Of Colum-
bia chapter of the Property
Owners Association Of Ameri-
ca, is to appear tomorrow.
Seen mot Slums"
Mr.. Calcara said yesterday
that rooming houses "are not
slums." They should not be
confined to a commercial area,
as recommended by Mr.. Doyle.
Rooming houses can be con-
trolled by District housing in
Spectors because they are IL
censed, but lifting Of controls
would mean that bootleg"
rooming houses would operate.
Unsupervised rooming houses
would be an increased blighting
and fire hazard, Mr.. Calcara
said.
Federal Housing Administra-
ton officials have said that
they would not grant special
loans for rehabilitation Of
houses in the area unless the
rooming houses are eliminated.
The special FILA terms are
vital for the project, planning
officials feel. With the new
special loans, low-income prop
erty owners have a chance to
raise their residences to the
higher standards.
In other upgraded areas in
Washington, low-income prop
erty owners we're many times
squeezed out because more ex-
pensive credit terms and specu-
lation made resulting prices too
high. these planners said.
The nine industrial and COM
mercial firms have produced a
letter which they say shows
that FILA officials will grant
the special credit terms, even
If the industries remain.
The nine firms have hired an
economic consultant and a
planner. and have developed a
proposal for a nine-acre ''in-
dustrial park"
A letter from C. e. Childs, jr.,
director Of the C. office.
said:
I'VE have reviewed your plan
and feel that it has definite
merit. We feel that your
plan has given consideration
to the proper buffering Of the
residential section from the
commercial area"
The letter does not specify
that FILA would grant the spe-
cial terms:
IS Face Elimination
An economic analysis Of the
proposed urban renewal plan
shows that 35 commercial and
light industrial firms would be
eliminated, including the nine
firms organized to protest.
The IS firms provide approx
imately 900 jobs, have an an
nual payroll of S. million, and
pay taxes on 50 million in prop
erty every year.
Joseph Honick, executive di-
rector of the nine-firm Adams
Morgan Light Commercial In
stitute. is expected to speak for
his group tomorrow.
Mr.. Honick's planners and
consultants have studies to
show that more light CONNER
cial and industrial centers are
needed to service downtown
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