The Gary American

Indianapolis, June 8 - Bills pending before Congress for an additional $300,000,000 for low cost housing and slum clearance would be of "great assistance" in the solution of Indiana's housing problems, W. E. Stanton, State Housing Board executive secretary said today.

The housing measure is a part of the recovery program submitted to Congress by President Roosevelt.

Mr. Stanton pointed out that recent statistics issued on the number of Housing authorities formed in the nation as a whole indicate a national total of approximately 105, Indiana leading with 21, followed by Pennsylvania with 14.

Indiana housing authorities include Alexandria, Anderson, Aurora, Buffton, Brazil, Decatur, Delaware county, Dunkirk, Fort Wayne, Gas City, Greenfield, Huntington, Jeffersonville, Kokomo, Lawrenceburg, Marion, Muncie, New Albany, New Castle, Richmond and Vincennes.

"Action is likewise pending or being contemplated in an additional 10 or 15 Indiana municipalities, which, when taken, will continue Indiana in its present position of being better prepared to co-operate in the President's recently announced additional 'low rent and slum clearance program' than any other state in the union," Mr. Stanton said.

Indiana has had earmarked by the United States Housing Authority for the construction of low rent housing facilities in the state the gross sum of $4,470,000. This money, according to Mr. Stanton, will be distributed as follows: Decatur, $50,000; Delaware county, $400,000; Fort Wayne, $1,500,000; Muncie, $900,000; Kokomo, $600,000; Anderson, $750,000.

Additional Indiana applications for earmarkings are now pending with the USHA in excess of $10,000,000, the State Housing Board executive secretary said. This latter sum will be materially increased when additional authorities are created and if the President's recovery program is enacted by Congress.

The beneficial effects of Indiana's participation in the President's slum clearance and low rent housing program will be felt in Indiana and the nation as a whole, Mr. Stanton asserted. He enumerated the principal benefits as follows:

1. A drastically improved and decent standard of living for thousands of Indiana citizens of low income.

2. A stimulation of the national and state heavy industries thru the purchase of the products of northern Indiana steel companies; central Indiana stone quarries, as well as Indiana brick and cement and other native Indiana building products.

3. The employment, both on the site of the project and in the factories, of thousands of skilled and unskilled laborers who are either totally unemployed or who are now forced to accept work or direct relief.

The Indiana State Housing Board was created by the last General Assembly and has been in operation approximately nine months.