xt7z348gj92q https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7z348gj92q/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: 1/19 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 December 19, 1939 text Public Housing: Weekly News from American Communities Abolishing Slums and Building Low-Rent Housing December 19, 1939 1939 2019 true xt7z348gj92q section xt7z348gj92q .' ' ,,-‘
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, Vol. 1, No. 19 Federal Works Agency, U. S. Housing Authority —— Nathan Straus, Administrator December 19,1939
——_______________.___—____—____________
. . O O O 0
Young Pittsburgh Artlst County Housmg Authorities 1n 4 States
P ' ' P U ' C
amts Dramat‘c Slum Plan Rural rogram at $1,700 nit ost
Clearance Scene
The announcement recently that als, it is estimated, will be between $4
Virginia Cuthbert’s much discussed housing authorities of Vigo County, and $5 per month, with the tenant be-
painting, “Slum Clearance on Ruch’s 1nd, Alexander County, Ill., Lee ing responsible for maintenance, re-
Hill,” displayed at The 1939 Interna~ County, Miss, and Thomas County, pairs, etc. Average construction
tional Exhibition of Paintings, Car— Ga., are planning to start the con- costs are estimated at about $1,700
negie Institute, Pittsburgh,tis a re- struction of dwellings for low-income per dwelling, ranging from about
minder that the clearing of a slum is rural families by spring, is a reminder $1,500 in the South to about $2,000 in
a dramatic spectacle providing oppor- that the development of USHA’s rural the North, where climatic conditions
tunities for vigorous artistic expres— program has been going quietly for— require a more expensive type of con—
sion. ward for some time. The four au- struction.
Ruch Hill is one of Pittsburgh’s thorities have applied for funds to Although details of the new rural
. three hilltop projects which have construct about 800 homes, and are program differ widely from present
caught the attention of people all over now awaiting USHA approval of practices in the construction of pub—
the country. The artist has chosen plans. he housing in urban communities, no
for her work that period in the proj- These plans call for practical farm fundamental changes in legislation
' ect’s development which is most cha- homes, each with living—and—dining or policy will be necessary. Tenants
otic and most spectacular—when the room, kitchen, three bedrooms, stor- will still be selected on the basis of
walls of the old houses begin to fall. age space, and a work porch. Rent- need, with incomes not more than
This is not Miss Cuth— M .4, ,, "WW five times the rental (or
beets only trtumth. rt six times, in the ot
the first prize tn the a more children» The
. 1934 exhibition of Asso— ”4» , gee?“ equivalent demolition
ciated Artists of Pitts- wwéq ‘3 ' jg” .. “fiX I". procedure will continue
burgh, and, in 1938, , ‘Wflx‘; \ g .. r"? Mmfvw to be required as at
was the first woman to WE; Er; .' ‘15:” E“; $543.1 8, present. PrOJects will
be featured in the an- 365% ‘17:; _W ”e“ T55“? ”7 3: be financed on the same
nual one-artist show of 24 93:; if;%\qlm‘j’w:'vfi loan-granthbasis. Each
the Carnegie Institute’s a " eflmX al‘e,t -- a? - rural prOJect will be
Department of Fine g w, _ ”a, V‘ . 1 fl X?~/X wk built and operated by at
Arts. In January 1938, 53%. " ”3?” “a“, X a 71%? ,X local housing authority;
she was selected in the “3-1” V e, ,. f 7.; it": A . 4M ‘5 £3 The only apparent
Pittsburgh Bulletin In- » 9,35, t_ _ 5 it «K k" as”? Nor-é ,1 f legislative change nec-
dex as the art choice for {Ma}? ~) " "‘55,; 3‘" * ”3, "W 3-1, M “f“ A ' . - , ”X, essary is incorporated
one of the city’s ten -- 3“ij ,3" "i 0"“2 g‘aéwty’*?t’*€rmr in Senate Bill 59], now
mostinterestingwomen. a”: .V ’ 1! kwrithL, fifflf", pending in Congress,
. “Ziggie’s Barber ShOP" xv ‘5 I “I .h mfiflfi~ wire"? which would authorize
' won first prize for her «3 WM,~&“”“~~. .4. .. the USHA to lend an
in the 1938 exhibit of xi: '; "24:", additional $800,000,000
the ASSOClated ArtIStS “ Slum Clearance 0: Ruch’s Hill,” painting by Virginia Cuthbert, shows demolition on site of a for Slum Clearance, and
. Of P lttSburgh- Pittsburgh housing project. (Continued on p. 4)
1

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Large Poster Exhib't Sh H ° ° — ’ ' ' i
I l ows OllSlng Benefits £12m Municipal Remew, November 1939, p.
. Q '
; C0 les Now Read F0 N 0 WOd Do Ob I Gives a brief account of th ‘
- _ e establishment 13 th
I) y r atlon l e lstrl utlon Finstol hiusing authority and describes Bristol: tw:
ow-rent ousing sites
Reproduced belOV ' l
, . V is the new 15- ' -
Sfoo t poster 1 'b' . _ mounted on light panels of beaver HONOLULAN HOUSING, Freehold N 0V 15
1) ex 11 it which has Just board or similar material, pasted on 1939’ p‘ 363' ’ l ’
9 een completed by USHA and will sign boards or hung directl ona 7 ll HOW the'Hawafian Homing Anthority handled the
soon be distributed throughOUt th r. h , . y Via tax exemption issue in connection with establishing
‘ e V‘ It thumbtacks stickers m the 221-unit USHA slum clearance ro'ect in H
country A colorful and attr1 t’ P ’ , 01 ape- G— D J 0110mm.
. ‘ c we 7 ‘ ' ‘
compOSition t1 h'b' . c tepioduction cost is only a few cents HOUSIN HOW AMERICA CAN SPUR ECO-
b . ’. 1e ex 1 it ‘Wlll focus a copy, and the exhibit can be set up NOMIC RECOVERY’ Pathfiwm" NOV' 18 1939
p? 11c attention on the essential facts practically anywhere pp' 3—4’ 20—21' ’ ’
0 tie low-rent housin 3r ‘ ‘ . Evaluates housmg V '
00‘1 tun. . ‘ piogiams of USHA l FHA.
Clear-cut dramat' fg 11 . O '"I In .ACCOmpanymg the pOSter IS a small hnunierates reasons why the building inIliilsIti'y as it
t. 7 _ 10_ as 11011 It con- printed sheet, 12 by 18 inches in size 1:- lis‘ioi Upemtea mm bum gmd’ Cheap houses
iasts slum life With the beneficial reading: “This is the United States I 0 a y,
enVii‘onment of the housing project. Housing Authority Program F ' POWER TOOLS SPEED CONSTRUCTION OF JACK—
Tne story of how housing benefits all details of your housing p1 . 01 fifiYILiAE IfiOW RENT HOUSING, Construction
. ' . _ ”0 ram see 1 e was ovem er 1939 . — r' ~
groups is Simply, effectively told. your local housing authority?” ’ 103' l ’ pp 43 4a, 102
The poster Illustrates the USIiA ' tInlanIirgenio‘us Inletlliaod: used to reduce building costs of
1 M I. . ren woo ' ' ' ' ' ,
pi ogi am as now pi 0Vided for by (3011- scribe“ and inu‘i’trxed’pmjecm JaCkSOIlVlIle' “a" dek
giess——homes for 640,000 persons, Current Housing Literature YORKSHIP VILLAGE IN 19F ‘
and a year’s work for 300,000 men. Electus D Litchfield The {4:11:2ici131396ify
c n . . . ’ y ‘ y
It p9llits Put that public housmg‘ is a TENANT APPLICATION STUDY AND ANALYSIS NOYember 1939’ pp. 42—43; 111' ’
Nation-Wide approach to local prob— HARLEM RIVER HOUSES—WILLIAMSBURé I)1‘:§;s:toer:1fi’sfii:e$(flal,s largtesb world-war homing
V ' ‘ ' . , \ I age, a amden, N. J. I 1'-
len]s_ Costb’ as well as benefits, are HOUSES, N.eW YOIk Clty Housmg Authority, cates that lasting well-planned housing develomeIit‘s
Shared by all The tenant pays three 3¥0§k2§r0§cts Administration Project 665~ can be built even in wartimes. Illustrations.
. - — — . ew York 1939. Variousl '
stths, the Federal Government, two- Mimeographed. , ypaged. I? TENEMENT TURNS OUTSIDE IN, TAKES
SlXthS, and the local government These two studies, dealing with the Harlem River TiaNANTS FOR A WALK THROUGH THE PARK’
one_sixth > , Houses and Williamsburgr Houses, respectively analyze Le ATGhztectu/ra’l FOTM’IIL, November 1939
Th t . :Epllijcations of families desiring accommodations in pp. 406—407' ,
. . e 0 ' ' ' ' I - ‘ . I
1 15d Ipe of poster eXhlbit was de— numbel‘sfii$21333?Iffifife§nilfiiipiiifii§“3““ Tofié‘é‘yfi‘é 212:5???” ”at“ Emmy“ ”“9“5’
_ - . ' C l . n ‘ .
V‘e Ope . tO meet the need for VVldel‘ Ship data, sources of income, etc. 1 zen century ventures into low-2:7:1:1;1i‘2321liisitigggtienth
Circulation of USHA - . mg “fAlfredT'WM I“ I ous-
. information at INTERRACIAL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC HOU l e' usmuomfloor planswhart'
- v n u . ‘ SING
mmrmum Cost. It Wlll be distributed by Franklin 0. Nichols, Interracial Review, HO-USING PAWS OF THE NETHERLANDS’ Legis-
gratis, upon request. Manufactured November 1939’ pp’ 169‘171' ’ Ilium? sefies 11’ Issue NO. 1’ DiViSion 0f
. . ' . . In matters o rt , . t . oreign ousin Stu ' ‘
in four parts, it Will be shipped in the housing funds Sudalfiigfisifn fiftfiéifiuocatw 0f Agency Work PgoleCtgle‘l/iageqeral 'kas
conventional mailin t b the USHA and 1° ‘ ” mg games, . ‘ IPIStratmn for
g‘ u e, and the m em . cal mum-lg “mantles have Shown the City of New York. Published by New
parts can be assembled with tape, I ouraging amount of Interracial liberality. York City Housing Authority. New York
. 7
paste, or rubber cement. It can be THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF 191.3 9.‘ 138 pp: . Mimeographed.
BRISTOL, VIRGINIA, by J. M. McCrary, Vir- anle::])01fleii}ri:n:zlilgmal 'h‘ousmg law With amendments
4 provxswns.
640.000 masons WILL at 3:300 ‘
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II, .. ., 9. ,9, I: if: , , , , - ,, fiZ 35%;, ~ 3,, fig, 3‘ III, W' -« ,. ,- I g: 7, eggs/‘9 - :‘I ”“I,Z
:7, i m , .é If in? 7: ,,,,«,«~,7,, ,~ ,. 2- . ‘. ‘ i ‘X’? of; ’ %W,*£j“" ‘ v v-,. (fin; ,ggzef‘fi” £911; 3,97%
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. g, ., If?“ ' , , ' 3, 2 7.33;.‘1359’4, .:7* g”w,;£”:.»;,f ’3‘” ”7” i ”Eivfi‘ig
: I {miffif' ‘y ,, .«I... v” v , 'V"/I,'('( ,,,,gzé;/.w,.,;,‘, . _ , , ,“gut/"3b?iiii,’ 17,, ’, I/ [ii/"7,17, 7 , .

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39, P- USHA engineers, work- K c U W 0 meter and stay within the
of the mg With representatives e e p l n g p . It I | amount covered in his
is two of the electrical industry, rent. The serv1ce charge
. . have adapted to the needs U S H A R h for extra energy will not
'. 15, of public housing projects e S e a r c be based upon a rate Of SO
ed the a new type of meter, which much per kilowatt hour.
lishing costs little, is inexpensive ' Instead, a certain number
"01“1‘1' to install, and is easily New, Speedometer-Type EleCtrlc Meter on the dial Will be desig-
Ege- read by consumers. The Helps Tenants Check Use Of Current nated as the maximum.
190-), meter was developed by Another number, say 10
FHA. the Rural Electrification or 15 beyond that, as the
3.553;: Administration for use in its pro- is commonly assigned to each tenant, 20—cent limit, and so on. Thus, there
gram. and check meters are periodically will be no question of utility rates.
W314- Unlike the conventional meter with used to determine which tenants use USHA officials are confident that
lotion its complex arrangement of dials, the more than their just share. the cost of the meters is more than
102” new meter operates on the same prin— Such a system is unsatisfactory. offset by the equable CllStl‘lbUtlon 0f
m of ciple as the speedometer. It can be In order to get the normal consump— 616013110311 energy Wthh Will FGSUIt
1., de— installed in the kitchen, thus reducing tion of tenants using excessive from the1r IDStallathD-
’ wiring costs considerably, and ena- amounts of energy, it is necessary to
big bling the tenant to know daily how install the check meters without their
’ near his actual consumption of elec- knowledge, and to lock them in meter Management Discusswns
Jusing‘ trical energy approaches the maxi- closets to avoid possible tampering. - -
1mm . 'd d f . . h' t 1 E 'ft t ldl ’1 th Beginnmg December 12, and
‘ments mum p10v1 e 01 in 1S ren a pay- ven 1 enan s cou {now W 1en ey continuing through February 6, the
ments. were being metered, they would have Management Review Division is
AKES The meter answers a serious prob- no way of knowing how much energy conducting a series of informal dis—
’13:}; lem in low-rent housing projects. they were using. Consequently, they cussions on “Public Housing: Its
’ Because of the importance of lower- often object 130 any penalty for usmg Potential Impact on City Life.”
)jects, ing all costs which make up rent, most more than their allotment of energy. The discussions are held on con-
tiififslj . . projects have arranged for wholesale With the new meter, of course, secut1ve Tuesdays from 33 30 t0 5
chart. purchase of electrical energy. Under these difficulties are done away with. OTCIOCk in room 3324, North Inte-
egiS- this plan, the utility company has only The tenant can see, every day, how r101” Building, Washington, .D- C-
n of one customer—the project manage- near he is to the maximum. If he DOTOthY _I- Cline is Chairman.
01:“ ' ment. It is therefore the task of the needs extra energy, he may use it, Speakers 1nclude.hCather1neBauer,
I‘ . . . . . . . ~
[Ne/(iv management to dlstribute electr1c1ty knowmg in advance that he Wlll be $1002 Granawc ”II? gogdri‘ag’
fork, to the tenants, and to keep consump- required to pay a small standard serv- Wnav aIro Elli) rtallf’ t I" D? eé J.
tion within the project’s budget. In ice charge. If he needs no extra en- 6 e ’ e ee 5’ 1' ' '
ments - - - Hovde.
order to do th1s,amax1mum of energy ergy, he can very eas11y watch the
- ,, w. 1N ' “l 33 r ”WWW
,, 5 .” , ~ - ' -. «’27:? - 1’ r 5 f ‘ 5? :2 a -, x u, ,. a . , a?“ «4
W ‘ PAYS F08 ' $2?“ % ‘5“ A' ' ,2. ' 2 s easy; WW
“ 5 ~ b , M a -~, , “ . ”1/, $9? 99‘
MB “-0 flausms 352mm: a
.’ 2&Wéat‘a; _ b», 1;,” ‘fifiwgu t7, £§éggg§g§ w
X“ ”l” ,, ” _ ‘ , % ' t”, ”fiftfi -
a 3. fit ' , , ' ~ ' ‘ W .3 - .
:4 ~‘:, “31m“? ” ' ~‘”'~ ,_ “ 42* ,w. a. ’, '1
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O t
ill YEARS,WORK FOR 300,000 Mfité

 I; . MT'fi“
a,“ . . .- < > set-
x , . -.; 233,35:
° asked to do something which would be
Construction Blds COIOI'ed SOClal worker. . in their interest and that of their
Rehauses 217 Famllles neighbors, and not being made to do
Bid Openings Definitely Scheduled something, they were quickly won
——h‘——i—_';‘—‘T Confronted with the problem of re- OVER” .
1 it i ' t iY . i ' . . . .

L008 autniiiiiivwim mm tilting 13min,“ housmg 217 Negro families on a prOJ- .
——‘———"‘————— ect site in a city where vacancies for 4 States Plan Rural Housmg
AlleghenyCo.(Pa.—6—2)_ 288 1—12—40 ’ ' ~ ' ‘ .

Atlanta (Ga__6’3)________ 634 1242739 such families ‘weie practically n11, the (Continued from p. 1)
Atlantic City (N. J.— Atlanta housmg authority turned to would provide $200 000 000 of this

14—1) 375 12‘20‘39 its Colored Advisory Committee for . ’ ’ .

Austin (TeX.—1—1—A).-_. 81 12—§2~39 a is tance for rural rehousmg. The bill allows
Ausm“ (lex'_1_2—A)"" 70 12— $39 SS _ , ' a farmer either to lease or purchase
gargden é‘N. J .—120~1)m 2?: Egg-39 ,Wlthm 8 weeks aftei the com— the new home. Thus he could obtain
Jfickiiiéflfif "$3,153: ' 3 _ 539 mittee had undertaken the task. Of title to a home constructed with
I l—A)_.____E___.__________)_. 368 1- 4—430 temporarily rehousmg thfse famlllf? USHA assistance by making small

{ingsport Tenn.~6—1 . 128 12-20- 9 n1 three remained on t e site of t e . .-
ngsport (Tenn'_6_2)_ 48 124%” 3) hy H H . t d payments overa long peiiod of years.
L A 1 (C H 0 n ope. omes pI‘OJeC an “PM The same pr1v11ege would extend to a

02S~4)Dgeesal 500 1_12_40 had been dispossessed by legal action. farm owner who desired to acquire
McKeeSPCZg/JI (Pa-5&1)“ 206 12-32-39 Unable to find unoccupied dwellings title to houses built for his, tenants or

eridian iss.—4— ____ 119 12— 0+39 ‘ ‘ ' _
Meridian (Miss.—4—4)____ 89 12720—39 for most of the families, the commit sharecroppers.
Newark (N.J.~2—5)_____- 614 12~21—39 tee located rooms in nearby homes for To date, 29 110115ng authorities in
New Haven (Conn.— the Slte dwellers. 13 States have been organized to coop-

4—1) 460 1~ 4—40 A Negro social worker was em— erate in the USHA rural low-rent
New Ofleans (MA—3L 916 1— 9—40 10 d and an office for the committe 1 ' ~
New Orleans (La.—1—5)_ 903 1—25—40 13 ye . _ e 101181115; plogram.
Ilgprwlgalk1(Ccig'1n.—12-31)m 1 fig g-gggg was set up on the Site. The soc1al

1tts mg“ 8“— _ )"‘" ’ _ ‘ worker and the committee members Construction Re Off Anal sis
Raleigh (N, C--2A1).—————- 200 12430-39 worked in cooperation With the staff p y
San Franmsco (Calif.—— f h A 1 t h . h a. _

1—3) 750 12—19—39 0 t‘? .t an a 011511183 aut 011tY- During the week ended December
Savannah (Ga'_2_3)"'“ 330 1249—39 Families 1n the area were personally 8, eight new projects reached the con-
———————-—-——— v1s1ted. Soc1a1 agenmes and real-es- struction stage. The new projects

Bid Openings Tentatively scheduled1 tate dealers Were contacted. Rooms were: 100 units in Mobile, Ala; 200

I ocul authorit 7 and ro'ect Number Date of bid were SOIIClted and arrange-ments made units in Knoxville, Tenn' ; 1,251 units

‘ numtor p J ofunits opening for the removal of the Site families. in Bridgeport, Conn.; 214 units in
'——_"—‘”‘_—" By these means, Mrs. Annie Doris Harrison, N. J .; 76 units in McComb,
figgfigfigfi‘jfigiw gig $3218 Hall, the social worker assigned to the Miss; 480 units in Savannah, Ga.;
Gary.(Ind.—11—1)._____-_. 305 1—15—40 task, reports, “the families residing and 2 projects of 125 and 74 units,
113”“ng (Pa"8‘2)--" 200 1—12—40 there came to understand that this respectively, in Paducah, Ky. The
Omaha (Nebr.—1—2)_______ 283 1—11—40 office was operated by a committee of addition of the new projects brought
Pofgilgouthwhw— 268 1_15_40 their own people. Certainly a com— to 134 the number now under con-
Tampa (F1a.—3—3)..______ 328 1—17—40 mittee of leading colored citizens struction, and caused a slight decline * '
waShmgton (D'C“1_2)' 246 1—16—40 would wish to do nothing to harm in both the average over-all cost of

,Thm is usually a ”(my period-heme“) bid advertising these families. When they came. to new housmg per unit and in the aver—
$339,gédygttfltigaediiifliyoici}:gum.°penmgs Shown We understand that they were being age net construction cost per unit.

" Weekly Construction Report

M”; —

' r It Week ended ‘ Week ended Percentage

em December 8, 1939 December 1, 1939 change

________._________________.______________—__

Number of projects under construction h-“”-4---___________i_________-___i_‘,___ 134 126 +6.35

Number of dwellings under construction-______________-__~______________________ 55,037 52,517 +4.80

Total estimated over-all cost 1 of new housing _-__ $248,430,000 $237,927,000 +4.41

Average over-all cost 1 of new housing per unit _,____ $4,514 $4,530 —0.35

Average net construction cost 2 per unit---_______,_,-__i___ .________,_____________, $2,847 $2,856 —0.32

___________________________________._.__—————-——

1 Includes: (a) Building the house, including structural costs and plumbing, heating, and electrical installation; (1)) dwelling equip—

ment, architects’ fees, local administrative expenses, financial charges during construction, and contingency expenses; (c) land for present .

development; (d) nondwelling facilities.

9 The cost of building the house, including structural, plumbing, heating, and electrical costs. '

_________________________________._—.————-————-——

Publication is approved by the Director, Bureau of the Budget, as required by rule 42 of the Joint Committee on Printing.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. Subscription price $1 domestic, foreign $1.80 per year. Single copies, 5 cents.
Material for PUBLIC HOUSING should be addressed to Informational Service Division, U. S. Housing Authority, Washington, D. C.
U4 5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 197349
4