xt7mgq6r270x https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7mgq6r270x/data/mets.xml  United States Housing Authority 1939 v.: ill.; 29-40 cm. UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Library Program libraries and the Federal Information Preservation Network. Call Number FW 3.7: 1/6 journals English Washington, D.C.: Federal Works Agency, U.S. Housing Authority: For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Works Progress Administration Housing Publications United States Housing Authority -- Periodicals Public housing -- United States -- Periodicals Public Housing: Weekly News from American Communities Abolishing Slums and Building Low-Rent Housing September 15, 1939 text Public Housing: Weekly News from American Communities Abolishing Slums and Building Low-Rent Housing September 15, 1939 1939 2019 true xt7mgq6r270x section xt7mgq6r270x 1VV517~//é Z/
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Vol.1, No.6 Federal Works Agency, U. 3. Housing Authority—Nathan Straus, Administrator September15,1939
“H—

President Approves Puerto Rican City Submits Unique Plan
New Loans to Improve Housmg of Destitute Masses
Eight loan contracts totaling $24; , Social and climatic conditions pc—
. 499,000 for 10 low—rent housing proj— - ' culiar to Puerto Rico have prompted
ects in 7 cities in 7 States were . . the Ponce Housing Authority to pro-
approved by President Roosevelt on . . ‘ pose that land and utilities, rather
September 13, upon recommendation , . , - . ,4' , _ than new homes, be provided to slum
of Nathan Straus,USHA Administra- we, " - _ .. " dwellers.
tor. These loans, to defray 90 per- " a?,-": If adopted, under the flexible USHA
cent of the estimated cost of the proj- e" 1.1,; fig; ""’i'.ilji‘ system, the Ponce plan will provide
ects, brought the total to $493,949,000 ”5‘ ’3 @372! .3}; ‘“ decent living conditions for some 340
for 274 projects in 27 States, 127 .1 a! ”ham . low-income families at a total cost of
cities, and 3 counties. In addition to feveeéfig ' about $500 each. Rentals per family
the loan contracts there are outstand— Olmsted Homes, Atlanta, Ga., “wing completion. will be well below $1 per month.

. ing earmarkings of $177,731,000, . Three-fourths of the island’s popu— "
making a 1301331 0f $671,680,000 in ' lation live in substandard housing.
USHA commitments for 161 commU- New England Town Meetlflg At least 15,000 families live in shacks
nities. Votes for Local Authority jammed together Without streets.

The 4,973 family dwelling units They lack water and toilets. Because ,
provided for in the 10 new projects Utilizing the traditional method 0f of a money-crop agricultural policy,
increases to 107,582 the number of New England 10031 self-government, food is expensive. Many families can

‘ USHA—aided dwellings that will be the citizens 0f Enfield, 001111, in a barely afford to feed themselves.
available to rehouse about 430,000 special tOWll meeting 011 September Money for shelter is out of the ques—
slum dwellers when the projects now 12, voted to instruct the selectmen ’50 tion. Hookworm, anemia, and dysen-
under loan contract are completed. establish a 100211 housing authority. tery thrive among the unfortunate
Three of the projects are located in The meeting, held ih the high SChOOI slum dwellers.

Charleston, S. 0.; two in Cleveland, bhhehhg 1h the Village-of Thompson— These people need space and sani-
Ohio; and one each in Chicago, Ill.; Vlhe’ was the first 0f 1ts _k1hd 1n the tary facilities almost more than shel—
Elizabeth, N. J .; Hartford, Conn.; country tOgO 0h record In favor 0f ter. Heating is unnecessary on the
Jacksonville, Fla; and NewYork City. 1?“th housing. Enfield (P0P- .13’404) (See PUERTO RICAN PLAN on p. 3) «
Unsafe housingin Chicago. is the smallest community 1n New
England to set up a local housmg
-_ ' authority. SLUMS COST YOU MONEY! Denver’s
. 1‘ _ fi Town planners and housing experts Housmg Action Committee, in Its
grim Mm, 7 . i have often pointed out the debt that recently Dubhshed Homes for 150w
- MW.“ lasing g, modern public housing projects owe Wage Earners 0f Denver, pomts
_ “h“! n ”*3: m, to the colonial New England village out that, although the costs of City
f- hflh a: green, which anticipated the best cur- government amount to $72.20 per
, .2, .1.- i. 1 ‘ f‘ ’3 "~' ;; rent practice in site planning, preser- person, the tax revenue from cer—

. {it ~' hill“ “ vation 0f open spaces, and the like. tain slum areas in the city totals
- : “g, . i The tprotgress 10f; tlhile fihogsmfi allove— only $4.10 per capita—a deficit of
W ,,. , men in owns 1 e n e W1 , ere-

. WMWWWM"! k' , , _ fore, be watched with special interest. $68.10 per person.
1 u
k.

 NAHO Administration Manual A - L - E (l New Series of Unit Plans Issued
to Guide Local Authorities mencan eglon [1.01.863 to Aid Designers
. . Program Expansmn .

The recent publlcation by the Na— Low—rent housing requires room
tional Association of Housing Offi— Typical 0f the steadily growing plans designed for most efficient use
cials of “Local Housing Authority SUDDOYt f01" the USHA program being of space. Because American archi— . .
Administration—A Manual from registered by CiViC, religious, and tects had had little previous opportu—
Early Experience” is a milestone in patriotic organizations, a resolution nity to design low-rent dwellings, the
the American public housing move— recently adopted by the Department public housing movement was handi—
ment. Here is a textbook for hous- 0f Massachusetts 0f the American capped in its early stages by lack of
ers—in loose—leaf form. Both facts Legion endorses “the action 0f the an appropriate technique of dwelling—
are significant. On the one hand, Congress in establishing such a DI'O- unit design. The USHA is gradually
public housing has developed almost gram £01“ low-income families” and overcoming that handicap.
overnight from an ideal to an occupa- recommends the “expansion and con- The USH A series of suggested unit
tion; on the other, it is still develop- tinuation of the program.” Meeting plans, six more of which have jugt
ing SO rapidly that only a loose—leaf August 17 in Taunton, the convention been released to all local housing au—
manual could hope to retain utility further praised the United States thorities, constituteamajorcontribu—
fOl” any length 0f time. The publica- Housing Authority for “the fair dis- tion to the development of the tech—
tion’s first sentence—~“Pri0r to 1933 tribution of the benefits of this pro- nique of housing design. The prin—
there were no local llOUSillg authori— grain \VithOUt 1'08'al'dt0 SGClJiOll, Cl'CCd, ciples and methods enflxxfied are 31)..
ties in the United States”—is its key- race, origin, 01' 001015” plicable to private as well as to public
note. Perhaps no other business or housing.
profession has ever grown so fast or One Million to See Exhibit The homes projected in the new
encountered such a baffling complex- - . _ , . -0. i - -
ity of problems. This manual is the Nearly'one “111110.11 P901319 V3111 sec gins {Iggy (liiinffe :22; 2:222:11?
first authentic diagnosis of the entire the. Housmg EXhlblt 111 the Federal Adequate space with no waste space. ' '
field. Building at the Golden Gate Interna- , b 1 t t ‘ t ’

. tional Expos1t10n before the end of sens1 e arrangemen 0 reduce s eps
. Here at last is a handbook for prac- the year, according to actual att en d— for the houseWIfe, Windows and doors
t1cal housers. Concerned excluswely ance counts. While the exhibit is spaced to permit. satisfactory ar-
w1thspec1ficanswersto concrete ques- largely devoted to the work of the rangement of furniture, privacy for
tions, the manual minces no words, USHA, it also explains Government bath and bedrooms. . .
dodges no issues. If you want to activities in the fields of mortgage in- The newly released series include
know appreprlate salary ranges for surance and rural housing. At the plans for one- and two-bedroom flats,
staff positlons ,m local authorities conclusion of the San Francisco Fair and tWO‘ and three-bedroom row
Wlth various Slzed programs, the the exhibit will be shown in other houses. The plans are offered to local
manual wlll tell yen, and W111 alscsw— cities, and, Should the New York authorities as aids in the develop-
ply conc1se descriptions 0f qgahfica' World’s Fair be continued in 1940, ment 0f their own plans. They are
tions and duties related to different will form the nucleus of a new hous— not, however, mandatory 01" “stand-
JObS- If you are in dOUht as to the ing exhibit there. ard” plans, and local authorities and
most desirable method fOI' arranging their architects are urged to give local
architect’s compensation, CODSUlt of a program, the cooperation with requirements and preferences careful
Chapter IV- other governmental and private consideration.

To the hundreds of local housing groups—all these are discussed to the
authorities who have been working last detail. Dallas to Collect Delinquent
in an isolated way, under severe .- - u .
handicaps and without precedents, sitiariireagfilizééti)?gig?” 11:33:33: Taxes m Slum Clearance
thls manual W111 be as “791901“? as a the architects and engineers start too Slum clearance in Dallas, Tex., will
compass. It not only makes available soon on their drafting boards,” have bring city and county treasuries
to each allthOl'ltY the experience 0f waited too long before the appoint— $15,000 in delinquent taxes, according
thenrall, bUt “3 weighs, evaluates, ment of a resident housing manager, to a recent issue of the Dallas Times—
crit1c1zes, and organizes. that e'Xp(—?_ or have made scores of similar errors Herald. This sum is 21/2 times the
rience ”1 a manner that IS both 3nd“ which the manual points out, sympa_ annual tax revenue of $6,000 from the
c10us.and. readable. Advancmg no thetically but candidly. The publica— site, based on 100 percent COlIGCtiOHS.
theor1es, It fit mallages to StrCSS a tion is uniformly straight-forward, The Housing Authority of the City
80111101 housmg ph1losophy through sincere, and realistic. It should be- of Dallas will build a $3,000,00010w—
excellent assembling 0f factual data. come for housers during the next few rent housing project for Negroes on . .

The functions of local authorities, months what the dictionary is for the site, which is in the Hall Street—
organizing the staff, the development stenographers. Munger Avenue area.

i?’ . .‘ , :73?- J’. Zirvftl'gfisg 2
s . - ' ' r“

 / 1/
l ca a ,\ in ..W, meet Manaegs Asked
it " thwart- .1, W ,1 3‘ to Report Experiences
2 a"? as a?!“ 4’
e ” ~L \, _ ,2“ [1,}; q 7.: What are the most frequent man-
_ . . fit W. /2/ 32;? »,\f,;/ agement problems, what causes them,
’_ gag} l' “a /"W§r:§ a ”59"?“ téggg and how, in the light of experience,
“an ' L ~ . ”x‘ \r W‘r’g’ «' '7‘“ . . 3‘1 ”l n , -
e an,“ r”? / , , :2,“ , a x y 85"} fiffiiwk‘ can they best be solved? Many tunes
_ X; _ w '/ 5., 5,15,, C (F 59;, _ , ‘,i,:,;..‘tr. ” ‘ g, , has the USHA been asked these ques—
f a . a5} v; t ,., , tions by troubled local managers. To
’— $1 \’ / .‘2, 7"!- z find the answers to these questions,
v: “N 53/ “ built by PWA have been asked to sub—
,1; l , i 4.42135“; ,6 7'. (a! 7 j" mit before September 21, information
i :ii/ . , *fl' 1W K // f/Ztg’;,\f ‘1'»??? _ ., ”ff” '3 on problems which have arisen during
1— 1"” ' Vi " b . their careers as housing managers.
l— ~41 i The information will be analyzed
- "AMT—M“ bKXK , Q? ' , by the Management Review Division
— l w: ,, "‘"j‘i‘i/g/fi' 5 g, 9 and the results made available to all
_ ”C— ”’ z i may . , NI / project oilices and local authorities.
c lg ; '2 ‘i ‘ “ _ .. ‘l , {\5 4} {3,5,3 ‘ . Once these problems are known and
, 'l’f, g . 'fiafifll \ Q}? i- m their causes traced, it is felt that sys—
V Z; E: 3' I *lfi;:i“7 " Nk ,- J“ tematic procedure can be set up to
e ‘ ' . , - .. .5 a % ' . remedy them.
Puerto Rican housmg as it IS and as it would be under plan proposed by Ponce authority. -
2 . . . , Steps are also being taken to estab—
3’ Puerto Rican Plan Negro Buglness League lish a system of reporting current de-
s (Continued from p. 1) A k M P bl. H . velopments so that managers will be
s island and many of the existing struc— S S ore 1! 1C ousmg continuously aided by all experience
._ tures conform to the space require— Resolving that “the economic con- available. The demand for this serv-
r ments of the insular sanitary code. ditions of thousands Of under-privi— ice comes from the managers and
. . The Ponce Housing Authority pro- leged Negroes have been definitely im— local authorities themselves. . The
e poses, therefore, to clear slums by proved by the public housing program USHA 1s Slmtfly a convenient inter-
;, ' moving the closely CTOWded existing of the Federal Government which is mediary. .113 1.8 believed that these
v houses to improved sites. There they being prosecuted by the United States ”PM.“ W111 Wlllmgly be made on the
,1 would be repaired and painted and set Housing Authority,” the 39th ses- prmmple of mutual benefit.
_ up ln 3. SUPGflOIOCk pattern. E3011 sion of the National Negro Business .
e fannlywould have a yard the size of League, meeting in Oklahoma City, Cl'lme EXpert Advocates
_ an ordinary City 10t, a sanitary toilet, Okla, August 29—31, went on record
1 shower and laundry tray, and a sup— as strongly supporting the USH A Slum Clearance
,1 ply 'of pure water. The home would program. .
1 be in an orderly community With Pointing out that “there are still Slums breed Crime and nearly 19
space for outdoor recreation. many communities of Negroes need- percent Of all crime In the United
The Site suggested contains 29 ing similar improvement n the resolu- States is committed by youngsters.
t acres 0f WhiCh the city Will donate tion urged “the Authority to further These facts were made clear in a re—
nearly one-third. The city will also extend and improve these very desir— cent broadcast by Courtney Ryley
supply free water and street and yard able governmental facilities”! Cooper, well—known author and stu-
[1 lighting The Utilization Of Water The National Negro Business League dent Of crime. He added that whether
Resources Board will donate the elec— was established by the late Booker T young criminals come from “the big—
is trical distribution system and project Washington, . gest 0f cities 01‘ the smallest 0f towns,
g streets will be maintained by the in- ________________ they are from a type of slums which
;— S1113? government. mildness of the climate in Puerto should be eliminated.”
e It should be emphasized that the Rico renders simple shelter quite sat- “It would be great,” said Mr.
e conditions which make the Ponce plan isfactory. These dwellings would not Cooper, “if we could only clean up our
5- desirable are peculiar to Puerto Rico. meet our rigorous continental stand— slums: the physical ones, where pov-
y That this plan could be adopted in ards, but at the same time the pov- erty and hunger stalk, and the mental
’- . . the continental United States, where erty of the island’s teeming popula- ones, which are even as dangerous.
n housing requirements and slum ten- tion is so great that standards have We should dedicate ourselves to more
t' ancy conditions are radically differ— to be adjusted to what is possible of good homes and fewer bewildered
ent, is to be doubted seriously. The accomplishment. E .i _” - ‘ *
., ‘5'. 3 i -

 . . Members of Local Authorities , ,
Current Housmg Literature D M . , Construction Bids
rawn From any occupations
RnpoaT. California. Division of Immigra— Local housing authorities draw *—_—__—
tion and Housing, Los Angeles, August 20, their members from 11131137 occupa- statc‘aniltlocal I’rojilwl. ‘ {723,92}; ’ (lgillllll‘ll
: . V ' . lllliltll'l y lllllll WI ‘1», ‘ ‘ fl
1939' 21 pl" tions and many groups of s0c1ety. ”m x ”mm”
Reports on the work of the Division and discusses 1 . 1 ———‘—“~—’—
acute housing shortage in rural areas of California. T lese new elements In local govel 11- llip OPENINGS DEFINYTELY SCHEDULED
. 1d ment are Widely representative of ————————————
THE HUM“? EOUSE’ by Domthy J' (F19 ‘ their communities. A census of 891 gllfiiifltligtiliiic“""‘" Eglfifig‘“ 323 13:23:13
Houghton Mili‘lin 00., Boston, 1939. 125 pp. . . Covmgton' K51"... 16:24 263 $21139
. . . members of 206 authorities as of oovinmn’K;f’"'“" KY_9_2"""" m; $21-39
A. house planned to include those things which 681‘ Pliid' .<-————-—- IND:11:1M_“_ 30’? 1010-39
people know a house should have, but which seem August 1, 1939, ShOWS that 42 are i y, “”""'""" ’"“‘ d
' r' ' <9 s v n ' v <' ; u I "~ 1 _________ _ _ -V.____. - {A 3-:9
intangible and impossible to explain to In, DIOl‘eSSlOVl? 11 women. There are 21 Negroes 111 the Eggiiiliileigé E's. Cnlif-. gfifiizuufl .383 “£2239
man. the (llC‘llltCCt. Wiitttn m popular shie, “uh . McComb Miss lleSS—‘hl 76 103439
floor plans and photographs. total. Broken dOVVI’I by occupations Mobile, [{15____________»____:: ALA.—2'—1-_::::: 100 10:5-35‘)
. . . 1, 9;, ]____»_7_‘_'___ -__ ___7 4 _ -9
, the list includes 451 busmessmen, and 100’” 1' ILL 3 1 R 00 9 30 3
HOUSING AND THE HOME, by Hazel ShUItZ. 80 7 1,. 0‘ ' Peoria, Ill___.,,.____.-_ lliL—3—2__._,,_ GOG 9-30-39
D. Appleton—Century Co., New York, 1939. VSOI' ‘lncmen' £33113???" NJ iffi‘lff-m—u 3-33 13:22:12
420 pp. A detailed breakdown gives the )lV’iImirifitmblN C---.. gdiiilri‘i“' . iii 133—233;
iai :‘ ~., ,i,_,,,_ ~.— ,,.,_ ‘_» —..
Prepared for use in secondary school home economics following picture: Blel-Cantile and 10“! ( no
courses. Indicates practical methods by which the . 7' . .' “9- . ..
consumer can work toward better housing for liim- SClVlCG lnleSt] 16S, 10“: nlalllliaCtlll- 'l‘ENTA’l‘IVE SCHEDULE OF 1311) OPENINGS!
sull' uwl min-rs- mg and extractive industries, 70; —_—w
. _ list. .i\1;.2<_._,...,.__ “Ass-2&4: 373 10—20—39
,, 1 M . H , ., _ w bankers and brokers, 73; transporta- n?"[ill]Nimii..._._..... MONT—34, , 225 mam
Jiu. luimomics or BUILDINo, by llabut _ . 0 (”1:111“leNONXNLWW 25.1 “rims
w. Robinson. p, S. King & Son, London, tion, 7; real estate, 86; insurance, 07; gulliililifu}S.ltl_]__,_... s<}:__<..i,_;,km $32 iil‘ifli‘i
. . . . . «n; 31-; "hasa— ~-_>:.
1939. M) m). contracting and building industry, ”1‘ 1‘ 1'” U ’
. ’2 ~ < l " - "execs '2 WA
A sum of cmmmic nsvccts of midentiulv Fnclm'rv 33; chamber Of commerce offiCIals, 9; iiiiillli: virilifii’._ififi\jjii 'i'ick—i-iii... oil; iiiitiisi
and commercial building. Tables and charts. a . _ r . ‘ . . Holyoke, Blass_______h it/IASS—S-lufl 167 10725730
letlled, 1;), lawyeis and Judges, 83, £31m],Missm__,____-_ i\{IISS—2—2_,_,, 125 11— 9459
, - 3t ,Kv_.--,__.__ Y7~171.______. so uHorxo
MODEL TENEMENTS STARTED BY WOMEN, by labor (steel workers, plumbers, union “it“ 0“ 3
Charles A. Rosskam, Providence (R- 1-) Officials, carpenters, etc), 80; White £33351E'ini‘ngfill'fjfiii $3533: €32 iii—i333
M "l" M MISS—+1"--. 89 10—17—39
J07W’1a'lrJuly30’1939' collar workers, 17; foremen, 7; en— Mgiiiiiiiii,iui§§_____.__- MISS—4—3,.-,- 81 10-28%?)
Reviews the work of the “Improved Tenement - . . _ a - _ . l’aducah,Ky___._____,i Kilo—1..."... 125 11-14—39
Corp." of Providence during its existence from 19007 glneel S’ 12 ’ 31 Cl'llteCtS, 16 ’ DUbhc em_ Paduc‘ih Ky "KY—6‘2 75 11-14~39
1920. This enterprise was started by women, for the ployees, 34; mayors, 8; Army or Raleigh. "N. 63:32:: tic—24:22:22: 200 10—27—30
purpose of supplying suitable tenements for small Navy 5 editors publishers 1'3.le
wage earners. ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ _ . . . .
24; clergymen, 25; educators, 28; “13355235,:ersit-3sstrainers?assists .
REPORT VI. New Jersey. State Tempo— medical profession, 35. welfare and liaveasyet been definitelyschedulcd.
rary Commission on the Condition of the social work 18' housin I‘k 5_
Urban Colored Population. 128 pp. 9 ’ _ ’ g W0 ’ ’ ’ Construction Report Analysm
Recommendations with regard to Negro housing. farmers) or miscellaneous, 30-
References to real property inventories, 1934, in 14 ,
New Jersey cities. The construction report for the
' 1 week ended Se tember 8 showed no
HOUSING, HOUSE PRODUCTION, SLUM CLEAR— l Coming Events h . f~ 1:11 . d' , 1
ANCE, ETC. ENGLAND AND WALES, PosITION C ange 10m @- pi ece 111g wee {.
AT 31ST MARCH, 1939. Great Britain. Min- _ _ _ , This was the first time smce the week
istl'y of Health- 18 pp. The Coordinating Housmg 001111011 ended J ulv 14 that there were no new
Statement showing progress as of March 31, 19230, in Of Philadelphia Wlll meet at the - 1
. - , . .- . . . prOJects added to those unde1 con-
public and pinata housing enteipiises. Ethical Culture Center, thtenhouse . _ . . a
_ 1 .. stiuction. Theie ale, howevei, nu—
CALLING ALL TENANTS! Prepared by the Squale, 0n Septembei 21 t0 dlscuss merous bidoaenin sscheduled for the
East Side Tenants Union, issued by the the future of the public housing 1 g . “
City Wide Tenants Council. 30 pp. program 111 Pennsylvania and in neXt few weekS, as Shown 111the COH—
This handbook of practical housing inl'ormzition is the country at large The Council Struction Bids Opened” table, and
issued for the purpose of acquainting tenants with . ' 1 . .11 b a fl t d . h
their rights under the law. Will be addressed by Lee Johnson, “959 openings W1 919 9‘3 e mt e
USHA Special Assistant, and by local COHStI‘UCtIOD 1‘81301"t 0f the Fall and
speakers. Winter months.
Material for Public Housing should be _
addressed to Informational Service Divi— Weekly COUStTUCUOU R990”
sion, U. S. Housingr Authority, \Vashing— ——-—-—————-——————_
ton’ D' 0' Item Schlieegiibiigeioae Schlgfiibiiicisag Pecifffiéige
Publication is approved by the Direc— .1. ' ' _ ' ‘ #
tor, Bureau of the Budget, as required
. - Number of projects under construction______,____._____ 92 92 NO change.
- 9 , » . .
by. Mile 4" 0f the Jomt Committee on Number of dwellings under construction_,____,____.,___ 39, 377 39, 377 D0.
Printing. Total estimated over-all cost 1 of new housingudufl $182,417,000 $182,417,000 DO.
For sale by the Superintendent of Docu- Average over—all cost 1 of new housings,r per unit_____.__ $4, 633 $4, 633 Do.
merits, Washington, D. 0, Subscription Average not construction cost 2 per unit________-_______ 552, 905 $2, 905 Do.
price $1 dOIUBSth, foreign $1.80 1181' Yeah lIncludes: (a) Building the house. including structural costs and plumbing, heating, and electrical installation:
Sin '16 CO ies 5 cents (b) dwellinzequipinent, architects’ lees, localadministrativeexpenses, financial charges during constriiction,au(l contingency
g p , - expenses; (c) land for present development; (d) nondwclling facilities.
’_ ‘ ‘ . I The cost oibuilding the house, including structural, plumbing, heating, and electrical costs.