Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-05
Commissioners
Get Views on
5 New Sites
BY DAN GOTTLIEB
Star Staff Writer

Az 4lC0A his VII 1lNC RlOHOSCu
sites for new low-income prof.
ects to house about 1000 fam
lilies.
Walter E. Washington, execu-
tive director of the National
Capital Housing Authority. said
the need for additional public
housing was urgent.
His main points made to the
District Commissioners who
conducted the hearing at the
District Building were:
About 1900 families as Of
September 80 were waiting to
get in the approximately 1900
existing public housing units.
Only "a units were vacant.
OF the families waiting, $50
had been displaced from their
previous housing by city pub
lie works projects. In the next
five years, an estimated 1000
District families will be forced
to move because of such
projects.
Cites Displaced Families
I'm the affairs of our city,
it is not sufficient to say to
low-income families who are
being displaced that your sac
rifice will permit us to build
better highways, better schools,
better Fairgrounds, increase
the tax base, attract high-in-
come families back to the city
into luxury apartments - but
we have no place for you Just
now" Mr.. Washington said.
The first broad attack
against further public housing
was launched by a representa-
tive of the executive board and
the planning and coming COM
mittee of the Federation Of
Citizens Associations of the
District of Columbia. -
IF we continue to build pub
lie housing without limit =.
we are in effect hanging out
the welcome sign of false hope
to foot-loose indigents and
. semi-indigents from every
where" declared Mrs. John r
!, Snyder. w..
, This will result in disastel
, for them, as well as for thu
rest of U.S."
Delay Is Urged
She recommended that the
city do nothing further to force
people to move who cannot
pay for housing which meets
health and safety regulations.
She also urged that, pending
the completion of a housing
study by the Washington Met
ropolitan Area Council of Gov
ernmentS and the development
of comprehensive employment
studies" existing population be
dispersed beyond the bound
aries of the District.
A plea to let private enter
prise develop housing on the
proposed sites was given by
Frank Calcara, president of the
D. c. Chapter of the Property
Owners Association of America.
This could be done under q
recently enacted provision Of
the National Housing Act pro-
viding for FILA insurance Of
loans to developers.
Lined up in opposition to q
proposed site in Southeast
bounded by Twelfth, Thir-
tenth, G and 1 streets were
several individuals and groups.
They protested that this section
of the city already has more
than half of the Districts
public housing units, that
schools and Fairgrounds are
overcrowded, and the projects
detract from historical sites and
property values.
Among others backing all
five sites were representatives
Of the Washington Urban
League and Washington Plan
ming and Housing Association.
| =,
Specific Sites Hit
Most of the 80 witnesses reg
iStered to speak at today's
hearing were property owners
opposing specific sites, all Of
which have been approved by
the National Capital Planning
Commission. They must now
receive District Commissioners
approval before planning for
the projects can proceed. -
The other four sites are To-
Gated as follows: Number two.
$50 units bounded by Montana
avenue, Fifteenth and Eigh-
tenth, Bryant and w streets,
NE; Number three, 40 units
bounded by Second, Third, I
and M street Sc, a portion
Of which land is owned by the
Lutheran National Home:
Number four. 800 units on the
site of st. Vincents Orphanage
in Northeast, and Number five.
$50 units bounded by Seventh,
Ninth and s streets and Rhode
Island avenue NV. =
The other Southeast site
would hold 800 units.