xt7s7h1dnn1f https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7s7h1dnn1f/data/mets.xml  United States Housing Authority 1940 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: 1/41 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 May 21, 1940 text Public Housing: Weekly News from American Communities Abolishing Slums and Building Low-Rent Housing May 21, 1940 1940 2019 true xt7s7h1dnn1f section xt7s7h1dnn1f i - 4 :3 P ’ / ; l
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___________________________.______—_—_——
Federal Works Agency - John M. Carmody, Administrator Vol.1, No.41 - May 21, 1940 U. S. Housing Authority - Nathan Siraus, Administrator
____________________—____________—______.____

O O
2 Surgeon Genel‘ 31 Says Pomdexter V lllage Opens Doors

Slums Menace Health To First 28 Low-Income Families

S k" ‘ b f ‘ the thirt —e‘ hth annual , _ . _ . ,
confpetiinlcreg Ofe gtlaete and ’l‘eSi-riltfirial health Twenty—eight families (average annual Beister, instructor. Furniture and decora—
officers in Washington D. C recently Sur— incomes—$863.82) moved into Poindexter tions in the model apartments were de—

' geon General Thomas ’Parra-n reminded the Village, USHA—aided project in Columbus, signed to demonstrate the possibllity of sat—
members of the “frhmendons stake” thev Ohio, early this month, obtaining new homes isfactory home-making at a minimum of
hm; {D slum clearance projects throughout for old and a rental reduction in the bar— cost. Prospective tenants were urged to
the country. Dr. Parran told the assembly gain. economize in every practical way In fur—

' that substandard housing, where disease Formerly the 28 families were living. in nishing their new homes.
breeds rapidly is as much the problem of substandard houses where they were paying De51gned for predominantly Negro occu—
the public health officer as it is of the social an average of $278.84 a year for rent and pancy, the project is composed of two—story
- worker utilities. This was nearly one—third of total flats and row houses, with dwellings rang-
D‘ P __ .f .. d t tl “ t annual income. In their new homes, de- ing‘ in size from 31/; t0 51/; 1'001115. Each
, f 11' 1 1211,}anhiel 63.1191 do 161 new Eclincep signed for safety, comfort, efliciency, and dwelling is equipped with a gas range, elec—
0- 1633' FI’ W 161 Hie u 18.51“} ong W1 1 con— tric lighting, modern plumbing and heating.
. 51d?1at10ns Of heatlng, lgltmg’ and ventl— ———— Each family has its own front and back
V lation) comfort and well-being. He empha- yard. The design of the project facilitates
Sifffl tile conga'fl it respiratorlcy .ln'fectlochs This week a high degree of tenant maintenance. Ten-
Eiolifsug Dialfe’zaiiraii’fgctlldifiaszo\vaglggivggnthle ants will care for their own yards and lawns
' ' O ' ' and do all but the technical work in the

> first day of the conference, May 9. 9 7 3 3 fa m 1 11 e S care of buildings.

The second day was featured by the re- . . . Although the buildings are constructed
port 0f the Conference’s housing committee, were hung m to last for 60 years as good rental property,
presented by D.1’- George 0- Ruhland, DIS‘ the net construction cost of the project is
trict of Columbia Health Officer. The com- USHA Homes only $2,712 per dwelling. The over—all .
mittee’s report recommended that State, cost, including land and the local housing

‘ mun1c1pa1 and .county health ofl‘icers turn to authority’s administrative, carrying, and
the U- 5- .PUth Health SBTVICE: and 3139 t0 pleasant community life, they pay an aver— contingent expenses, is $4,241.

the Housmg Committee 0f the American age of $224.28 per year for rent and util— Mr. O. A. Corzilius is Executive Director

Pubhc .Health Assoc1at10n “for 355157031106 ities, only one—quarter of total annual income. of the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Au—

' and guidance.” Before leasing their new homes, tenants thority; James Madison, local Negro, is

Since November 1939 Dr. Jose )h M, were invited to inspect three model apart- project supervisor. Authority members are:
1 . . .

DallaValle and Mr. John C. Leukhardt of ments completely and inexpenswely fur— Charles St. John Chubb, Chalrman; Frank

U. S. Public Health Service have been co— nished by students in the Economics De- A. Hunter, Vice Chairman; E. L. Weinland,

operating With USHA in the task of coordi- partment of Ohio State University, working Treasurer; C. L. Dolle, Jr.; and Fred

» nating the activities of the two agencies, under the supervision of Miss Charlotte Lazarus.

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This was Thorn Alley in 21 Columbus (Ohio) slum, a welter This is Thorn Alley, now part of Poindexter Village, a
of dlsmal shacks, llttered garbage, and outdoor plumblng. well-planned community of safe, comfortable homes.
. 1 , pic LIBRARlES

 a . W‘s» W ’ - ..
Vlrgln Islands Get 7 . 32$ . , , .
Housmg Authority W ,0 ~ .

The USHA-aided program was extended . , %(¢‘§&§ ' ._ ' ' .1“, i
to another outlying possession recently when a» is»; .. 颢Wyiye 'f V ’ ,3?! ,fl 4. :

Robert Morss Lovett, Acting Governor of éfgghagsamfjtwiflea . fl «0594‘ an . .
the Virgin Islands, announced the formation Q§¥£»‘h .‘ -~ 1.. ,. .4

of a housing authority by the Municipal swjfiffgg ., ~, ’ V ' w wk ,2

Council of St. Thomas and St. John. This is «,a . , k fa

comparable to the enactment of State en— "ifl 3453’” ~ 2 1 t '2‘ ’1 '7 3”?“ Joya." fl

abling legislation, since “St. Thomas and ~~ “i " t «:3 ate “fig

St. John” is one of two municipalities (the WM A , M 4 flta.’ . é‘: a; .zllng/g hm

other being St. Croix) whose Councils, meet— magnum/”WW .4} ' ‘fiw ’mezfl’r‘ M, an

sembly of the Virgin Islands. The Council ii. ' " ‘ (32%" W‘s/iv g??? fw~

of the former municipality has also author- ' i H ”E 33 3 M @343; “W ’ _"i'f r: ' :1, V

Acquired by purchase from Denmark in . «3% _ at #3979133” "‘7’?”
1916, the Virgin Islands support a popula— z» W , . k.~«.:«#g~7~,~‘ge~1# ,’ 1,
tion (1930) of 22,012 on 183 square miles . - ' 1 N‘Wfiifi .

The PWA Housing Division built three .ov’ ": A“ W w .. p
housing projects in the Islands——the Berg W ' *,72'.‘?}4V' ,‘ (”i ’ ., " , h
Homes project on St. Thomas and the Bas- ”MM¢W,7M“W%,-__‘ #1:“fo ,7 7.: _ , ,
sin Triangle and Marley Homes projects on @1?~AW“ . who; ":92 , ' ; .2 ' , ,

St Cl‘OiX. NOW operated by USHA, the {>«« ,,, in... , so. , . . - _ . . .,

three projects contain 124 dwelling units The H. H. Berg Homes Project, built on St. Thomas, Virgln Islands, by the

and are occupied by families with an aveT- PWA Housing Division, and now operated by USHA. Rents average only

age annual income of $323. Shelter rents $4.55 a month,

average $4.55 per month. —_———_——__—___________

f/A - T T, Atl-‘tiHv
ustm Notes Trend WO Oxas U 1011 BS 3 6

Rliodc Island, smallest State in the Women Chairmen—4 in U_ S.

countr ', leads the Nation’s public to Suburban A Teas _ _ ‘ . ,

housing program in one important re- , , . u . ,, .1 hT'heie aifel now] foui worricen Isf’ivmg $5

t. local housing authorities having American Cities are flattening out , Diiec- c aiimeii o ocal iousmg an 1011 1es in e
spec . ,. . - . , tor William L. Austin of the Census Bureau United States. Texas lays claim to two.
been 5“ up in 8‘) percent Of Its Clilgb' said recently after studying field office re— Housing as it affects Latin—American

FlVe Ollt 0f Rhode Islands seven “mes ports which indicate that a tremendous ini— populatioiis has a common interest for Mrs. . .

now have local allthorltles- They are: gration of city residents to suburban areas _ , > _ . 1,

Providence. Pawtucket, Woonsocltet, has taken place since the 1930 census. Otto 1310““ aid, chaiiman £ij the housing

Central Falls and Newport. Many factors are involved in this signifi— authonty Of E! Paso, and 01, MIS'VF'O ney

, / cant and ilnnortant population movement. “ - Taylor, chairman of the Brownsville au—
7 These include: 1111p1.0},~ed roads and trans- thority. They are chairmen in cities which,
, portation facilities which enable people to although 800 miles apart along the border,
Florlda Rotary C1111) live farther away from their work; cheaper have similar serious slum conditions which
. . , housing in rural areas 11831" Clues? OPPOFW' they are seeking to remedy through partici-
Wlns SerVICe Prlze €315;gins;$33331iiiiieaiigisiifiihiic-Ollie pation in the United States Housing Au—

- . . . . ’ “" thorit iro ram.

The $500,000 shim clearance and low-rent 2133:5510};Ofie‘zgffl‘lgsllsd \VfiigiSSiVlifigo 112;? My: lRubgy Black is chairman of a county
llOllSiDg project 0f the Fort Lauder-dale, estafadtor howeil'er “:35 the 008d old imer- housing authority—that of Lamar County,
Fla, housing authority was an important ican desire to own a homeband a plot of Miss—and Mrs. Blanche Cronin is president
contributing factor in the Fort hauderdale ground out in the country. of the Hamtramck Housing Commission,
Rotary ClUb’S winning fil'St prize 1n Rotary’s There is little doubt but that this flatten- Hamtramck, Mich, teeming Detroit suburb.
1939 Community Service contest. ‘ ing out process will be reflected in 1940 pop— Although women housing authority chair-

The Fort Lauderdaie Club sponsored a uiation ngures or many cities, Mr. Austll}: men total only four out of more than 415
great many community serv1ces,1nclud1nga 5910- The rate 70f growth ‘11? hundreds Ofi possibilities, still, to mothers, teachers,
contribution to the Children’s Home SOCIth, Shae? haifflgfeélecfiggnfn Soojflfat€10265£311fi nurses, clubwomen, and others throughout
promotion of a summer playground and rec- degr‘evlo?ineht was forecast lithhe test'census the Nation: belongs much of the credit for

. reational program, support Of a localiBoy last summer in two Indiana counties. A the success of the public housing movement.
Scout troop, and provision of an educational slight decrease in the population of South —_
fund; bUt the most importantlsmgle achieve- Bend and Mishawaka, the leading cities in New York Univ_ Produces
ment of the club was the efiective SUDDOI't the two counties, was more than balanced _ .
given to the local housing program. by a sharp increase in the number of resi- lVIOl‘C Educatlonal Fllms

As the Rotarian for April 1940 1'61301‘t5i deli‘if 11V1n§ 1111 SdJatl'ent BITS-:15- t fi' t th The Educational Film Institute of New
“A $500’000. slum clearance and low—rent econofhsi‘icpgtliiei? tiinofofitliees ciltielsloMai" (ibiustifi York UlliveI’Sity’ 71 W35hingt0n Square
housing project was pressed to completion explained sinceg the suburban residents still South, has just produced two excellent
because of Club activity. When the city worked aiid spent their money in the urban sound films: And So They Live, two and one-
came to entering contracts as sponsor 0f the areas. In fact, a whole new market was half reels (25 minutes); and The Children
project, several owners of tenement prop— created for such commodities as gardening Must Learn, one reel (13 minutes). Both
erty undertook to block the action by in- tools, sports equipment,and lawn and porch films deal with the normal daily life of
junction, thus protecting their investments > furniture which are classed as “necessities” American families in the Southeast. They .
in an area where better housing was needed 0f suburban 113’1ng. _ , _ , show conditions in rural areas, emphasiz«
to improve health and prevent crime. Additional. indications of this movement ing education, health and housing. Espe- . '

H . . to the outskirts of Cities were found in the - ’ .

The Club ”116d a public meeting at returns of the 1935 farm census which re— eially valuable are the pictures 0f farm
which the citizenry heardsupportlng‘ facts vealed a Sharp increase in the number of families' dwellings, both interior and exte-
and displayed such enthuSiasm that the ob— small fanns located in the neighborhood of rior. The films may be rented from the
jectors withdrew.” industrial areas. Institute at 391-50 per reel.

2

 _—_______—.____——————— ,
I: e egro as enant and eig or a, ,
By Robert C. Weaver, Special Assistant to the Administrator, USHA :Veéeg’“1 ' " 11 its? xii/2,
An address delivered at a panel discussion which have outlived their original purposes. 53%” 7’ .i “we”
on social security at the Third National The age of these buildings, together with the s:1 ' ”31'4”” 1 ., Mia
Negro Congress, Department of Labor congestion and the neglect of the property 331; , .11 w fig;
, Audttomum, Washington, I). C., Sunday, by landlords contributes to their deteriora— 2‘: Q ,1?! ’ t 11135
Ap7‘1l28, 1940. 1d tion and the development of blighted areas L In, wow/n,“
For many years now we have been to and slums. Having confined the Negro to g j 2;; 4 ' 4' -,. ‘
that Negro occupancy results in the deterio— these areas and having imposed this plight $133: ,1‘ i; , 1‘ '1," "9 12‘“, ,
l1 ration of property, the depreciation of prop- upon him, the landlords, the real estate 1 ,4' 1 _ 1r”
erty values, and a general decline in neigh— agents, and the banks point to these condi— W " a,” if, [ l
borhood standards. This vcharge has been tions as evidence of the Negro’s‘irresponsi— , " 5‘ 11, 18"“,3,‘
repeated so Widely and so in51stently that it bility as a tenant and as justification of '1 1,3;3, ' ” " "
has found general acceptance among the their:discrn'ninatory practices. . 1 fig _
American people. Negro tenants, We have It is a v1c1ous Circle. The Negro is cor- , g; [lo/21",,"
been told, will not keep up their property. raled in the slums and blighted areas, 1/1: 1 ’;i , V4,: ,
They will take over a good dwelling and let charged excessive rents, blamed for the con— Ti, 1 , \vfllj 1. _ ,;
it run down. They are destructive and ditions prevailing in those areas, and denied I? if : 2 », - " ; _
careless. They let rubbish accumulate in opportunity to move out or to obtain ade- 1' .1 ‘ " ) .
their yards. They do nothing to check the quate financial assistance for improvements “ , ,. '
spread of vermin. They are loud. They to dwellings within his districts. Well-planned and well-kept
. r 7
d° “0" value.1’“‘a9y' They re Pretty p0“ Public Housing Launched After visiting Smithfield Courts, a low-
tenants and impOSSible neighbors. . , . . . . . . .
- 1 _ . 1 Not until the Governments public hous- rent housmg project in Birmingham, in
3 It is impOitant to examine these allega— . . 0
- , . , _ ing program was launched in 1994 was there November 1938, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt
>7 tions to deteimine to what extent they aie . . . n. ,_
_ . 1 . ‘ . any large—scale attempt made to break this wrote in her daily column: One 01 the first
tiue oi false, because they are Significant . , .‘ . 1 b 1 . t1 1 d d thin is I was takei to s th' _ . .
_ factors in the development of patterns of ‘71?qu $11196 _ ytchearing 1? .8 utnisf an (i Bll'rill'l ham was anotl ee 1 ls ino'ining' Htl
residential segregation. Professedly upon V9 oping O‘V'lep. ousing p10jec s 01 sma . g . lei iousmg pinec
. 1 ‘ wage earners liVing 1n substandard homes. which I had seen just beginning when I was
the baSIS of these charges, 1eal estate men Th' . . . . ‘fi t t 1. b here before In in t] r 't' < th
generally refuse to rent or sell homes to is piogiam .15.51gm can, no ony 9‘ .' . any sou 1e 11. Cl 185 e
, Negroes in any save established Negro cause it is prov1ding decent, safe, and sam- worst housnig is usually occupied by the
1 , . , , , - , tary dwellings for low-income families, but Negro population, and so I was glad to find
,5 neigthihoods, banks tuin down applica— . . . . .
- , , , , , , , also because it is demonstrating that these that this project was for colored people and
e tions for loans for the pui chase 01 constiuc— . . ,_ _ .
- , _ , , 1 tenants, including about {,900 Negro fam— already practically filled. We asked a
tion of homes for Negroes, and cei tain .1. d t f ti 1 _ d ' ’1 t . t 1 . . ‘l 'f n
n agencies decline to guarantee mortgages for lies, 0 no 0 iemse ves iun own piop— woman \\ 10 came ou 1‘1] 0 iei yam i we
S . . Negro applicants outside of a “black belt” erty as alleged by some landlords. might see her house. She let us in, and it
E, . . ' Visit any one of the 18 low—rent housing seemed to me well planned and well kept.”
y Segregation 311d COHEGSUOH projects occupied predominantly by Negroes Reporting on a recent tour of the South,
1_ The TBSUItS Of these 130110165 are socially and developed in colored neighborhoods by George S. Schuyler observed in The Pitts-
] and economically disastrous. First, there the Housing Division of the Public Works burgh (Pa) Courier:
1,’ is the increasing concentration of Negroes Administration or the six such projects re- “The greatest obvious changes are notice—
1i in restricted areas, creating land and room cently developed by local housing authorities able in the numerous housing projects and
i- congestion. Expansion of these areas is a with the financial assistance of the United farm resettlement communities for Negroes
1_ slow process of penetrating the surround- States Housing Authority. See for your- . . . The fine housing projects must be con—
ing community, an eifort not infrequently self how well kept the grounds and buildings tributing greatly toward changing the local
y accompanied by violence. Within these are. Look into the dwellings and see how attitudes on what is good enough for
i‘ areas rents and purchase prices are sky- neatly the housewives are keeping their new Negroes and the responsibility of society for
1.; rocketed out of all proportion to the value homes. Walk through the project grounds the well—being of all the people. Some cities
n of the property. Since few new homes are and notice what quiet prevails. Talk with have two, three, four, and in some instances
b, built for Negro occupancy, colored families the tenants and learn what pride they take five different projects built and building.
r: are compelled to take over old structures in the upkeep and appearance of the project. These residential projects are attractive,
5 , . ,. stable, and neat and certainly must be im—
‘S ‘fi‘ “ ', ' ', '_ 7f 4? ‘1 posing new standards of thinking on their
it .i v.11, 4f. .' q; ‘ occupants. Swarms of ugly shanties still
)r ' 1 '7" ‘T , f *5, :1 be?" _- house a large section of the Negro popula—
t 5%“ , i . ' ”My, ‘ 4 tion in almost every town, but there must
. , . {.3 f}? ”64% , , _, ~ no longer be the feeling that Negroes are
.> 1 , 4 ‘4‘. ’n . "4‘s 4 ' doomed to continue in such dwellings.”
£1: 1 ’ 1 b i ,“1 - Memphis Report
is 1 V '1 ' . 1" " ,. ' ,— A . ‘ . . .
,5? , M, , ccording to the annual iepmt of the
W ' « gfi’w k ' 4 /y;§¥/; 7% "'”"”””"‘”""7W Memphis (Tenn) Housing Authority, “any-
re . ‘ , :~'W/;.’~.1'i.ai;.5i;f,4;i: ‘4 '. f i i one visiting the apartments in Lauderdale
.it i u I sfl I 4,5" 4 3:; " i , f 3,, Courts [White project] or Dixie Homes
9- , , v, W 'i 11» - i , [Negro project] as members of the Com—
m ' 44 if 33:" '3' gaging I , .1 ““g at, ., '_ ,1» 1V1: ‘ 4,-' ”I missxon and staff of MHA do on various
th ”*éfefic/flaikifi” W , _ ‘1’“ ‘. 1’ _ 1%,}? 1/ 21/1“? 371,41"; 4", occasions, would be amazed by the everyday
0f WSM Ibff 4’ :31 1' £3,053 ‘ ' K "{("fi , spic and span conditions maintained by the
3y "NWT”1/ :15 “fig‘ W . l . _1 ~ ‘ ,, people who live there.”
Z‘ 7‘w‘”12::‘§%"fifl/gpw ‘ * " ” ' mafia? ”1'1”? That these conditions are increasing
6' . . ”Wiggllja’“: 1 ' ' . Mug? property values in neighborhoods of proj—
m ,gfw ,1 ,, ‘ . ' " ' ects occupied by Negroes as well as by
he ” " “ ' ' ‘ " ’ " “ ' ’ ‘ ' ' which the USHA has made of 78 low-rent
“. . . what pride they take in the appearance of the prOJect” (Continued on next page)
3

 The Negro As Tenant And Columbia To Grant Flrst Newark l enanl'sl‘ NOW I
u u a
(r ' ' 0‘ k ' - ‘0' fr -
NBICIIIJOI Housmb Maslel s .chi 06 Pay LESS, Get N101.e
1C