Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-25
Public Housinu
SitesApproved
In Alexandra
By JERRY KLINE
star Staff Writer

The Alexandria City Council
last night approved three con-
tested sites for public housing
in connection with the city's
three urban renewal programs.
The vote was 6-to-1.
In a much closer vote, the
council approved, Altos, a
special use permit for a private
hospital at King and Beaure-
gard streets.
In approving the three hous-
ing sites, the city heads also
laid the groundwork for a
fourth renewal project, in an
swer to charges that the city
has not provided for privately
owned Negro houses.
The three sites are intended
to house 225 Negro families
who face eviction under urban
renewal, health code enforce
ment and highway programs.
The principal objections CEN
tered around complaints that
the structures to be leveled
include a number of dwellings
owned or occupied by Negroes
whose choice of living quarters
is limited.
Cites Housing Lack
A. Melvin Miller, president of
the Durant Civic Association
the city's leading Negro group,
said. These are not slum areas.
In fact, they are the best areas
availabl for Negro housing"
Middle-class housing for Ne
groes in Alexandria Is "virtu-
ally non-existent," he charged.
Qualification of the program,
q prerequisite to Federal ap-
proval of the urban renewal
plans, has been suspended by
the Federal Housing and Home
Finance Agency sine April.
pending the city's indication
that 1t can house the dislocated
families.
The Public Housing Admin
istration, which must review
the sites, might reject them
because city officials have vio-
lated a requirement that they
consult representatives Of the
Negroes involved, Mr.. Miller
said.
The three sites include a
two-block area between Mad
iSon and Wythe streets west of
Fayette, two blocks bounded by
Patrick, Columbus, Oronoco
and Pendleton streets and one
block between Cameron, Queen,
West and Payne streets.
$50 Units Needed
Cullen B. Jones, jr., vice.
chairman of the Housing Au-
thority. said that more than
$50 low rent dwelling for Ne
groeS are needed. An additional
254 units will be needed by
December, 1868, he said.
The need must be filled by
both public and private hous-
ing. he said.
Councilman John j. Ewald,
without comment, cast the
single ballot in opposition.
OF the 131 families who live
on the sites, A are ineligible !
for public housing. The need |
for private housing of these and
other families is being consid-
cred. Mayor Frank z. Mann
said.
The council unanimously In
structed City Manager Albert
M. Hair, jr., to report with his
recommendations for such a
program by October 8.
Approval of the private bene-
fit use permit was sought by
the L. & L. Corp, a group of
doctors in the Washington
area, and was vigorously OPP
posed by the Alexandria Hospi-
tai Corp. and the Alexandria
Medical Society.
Attorney Argues Need
Attorney j. Thorpe Richards,
representing the L. 81 L. Corp.
argued that at least 300 more
hospital beds are needed in the
Alexandria Arlington area and
500 more in the Fairfax-Prince
William area.
State Senator Ar1nistead L.
Boothe. attorney for the Alex
andria Hospital, argued that
the actual need of the city is
only rs per cent of the capa-
city of Alexandria Hospital.
Mr.. Richards promised the
council that the private hos
pital will have emergency facil-
tiles and will care for INDECENT
patients on the same basis as
Alexandria Hospital.