DATA ON HOUSING PROGRAM TO SUPPLEMENT TESTIMONY GIVEN BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, APRIL 20, 1936

Pursuant to your request for additional information in connection with the hearing on S. 4424, introduced by Senator Wagner, and now before the Committee on Education and Labor, I submit the following data on the activity of the Housing Division of the Public Works Administration to supplement my testimony of April 20:

STATUS OF PROGRAM

The Housing Division, to date, has 57 developments, of which 49 are Federal projects providing 22,664 dwelling units for an allotment of $128,047,100; 8 are limited-dividend projects, comprising 3,506 units for $12,641,600.

Of the 49 Federal projects, 26 are slum clearances, and 23 are on vacant land; 37 are now under construction. Buildings on the remaining 12 sites are being demolished and construction will start as soon as the sites have been prepared. It is estimated that 18 will be completed this year and the remainder early in 1937.

Of the 8 limited-dividend projects, 7 have been completed.

Federal projects are to be fireproof construction, and limited-dividend projects have been fireproof or semifireproof. Buildings are designed as walk-up apartments, group houses, and flats, and only a few are over three stories in height. Adequate sunlight and ventilation is assured by open planning.

The first tabulation following presents a condensed summary of all projects in our program, including their location, size, description, status of construction, completion date, amount obligated, and allotment. Other projects, totalling over $200,000,000, ready for action but suspended because of lack of funds, have not been included.

The second tabulation presents a break-down of expenditure, indicating what sums will go to administration, technical planning, land purchase, and to industry and labor.

FEDERAL PROJECTS

1 Estimated total to be spent includes allotments for active and suspended Housing Division Federal projects.

II. Total to be spent for construction, $101,700,000-Continued

D. MONEY AND MAN-HOURS TO TRADESMEN AT SITE

The Housing Division intends to operate projects directly only until local agencies can be qualified to buy or lease them.

There are now three alternatives for the management of housing projects: (1) The project as a whole may be leased to a public-housing authority or similar public body provided that such a body exists or could be set up which would be competent to assume responsibility for the management and operation of the project.

(2) Direct operation by the Government with active counsel and assistance of the local advisory committee or Housing Authority.

(3) Sale to qualified public bodies.

It has been the policy of the Housing Division to stimulate and assist in the formation of qualified agencies as vigorously as possible. Local groups have been selected and appointed as advisory committees by the Administrator of Public Works to aid in the satisfactory carrying on of a program. These and other sponsors have sought legislation needed for a workable housing authority. Such bodies have furnished valuable assistance during all stages of our activity.

TENANT SELECTION

The standards of tenant selection for the projects of the Housing Division are being developed upon the basis of local analysis with the advice and cooperation of advisory committees or housing authorities where they exist. Such agencies are, moreover, agreeing to take an active part in passing upon the acceptability of applicants and are of valuable assistance in establishing procedure in each case.

The following qualifications for tenant eligibility have been generally agreed upon:

(a) Families whose incomes do not exceed maximum limitations but with sufficient income to afford the rent. These limitations will vary according to family size, but will average four to five times the rent for requisite accommodations.

(b) Families now occupying unfit quarters.

(c) Families which can be housed without overcrowding.

(d) An established family group.

(e) Previous residence in city.

(f) General desirability and satisfactory rent record.
(g) Families with children living in the household.
(h) American citizens.