Camden Courier-Post, August 21, 1936View transcription
Elimination of 20 City Blocks Urged by Housing Committee
Advisory Board Suggests Razing 895 Dwellings In 2 Areas, Classified as Sub-Standard; Mayor Favors Plan For Parking Spaces
Elimination of 20 blocks of what were characterized as sub-standard properties in Camden was recommended to the city yesterday by the Camden Housing Advisory Committee.
Although it was urged that the city clear out two large areas as an economy measure, no plan was suggested whereby the city could obtain money to finance the clearance project.
The two areas that would be affected if such a proposal were carried out are as follows:
Area A: Tenth street to Twelfth street, between Market and Linden streets, embracing Linden, Penn, Lawrence and Cooper streets between Tenth and Twelfth.
Area B: Line to Stevens streets, between Second and Third streets, embracing Stevens, Benson, Washington, Berkley, Senate, Clinton, Royden, Beckett and Line streets, between Second and Third.
Made by Burnison
The recommendation was made in the office of Mayor Frederick von Nieda by James W. Burnison, head of the housing advisory committee. Burnison termed the two areas of ten blocks each definitely sub-standard and said that the city should consider them for condemnation proceedings to effect an appreciable saving to Camden of municipal service costs.
The recommendation was made on the basis of a survey completed by the State Housing Authority. Conditions in the 20 blocks were pictured as causing an annual total loss to the city of $156,791.04. In the two areas are 895 dwellings.
It was estimated in the state survey that the city's annual operating costs in the first area, Area A, are $95,335.30. The annual income to the city in the same area was put at $27,061.63. The annual loss to the city was fixed by the survey as $68,273.67.
Operating costs in Area B were estimated at $106,178.88 per year with an income of $17,661.51. The loss was placed at $88,517.37.
The costs were said to embrace fire protection, police protection, education, relief and health expenditures. The income is from taxes and municipal liens.
Burnison said that by tearing out the affected areas, free parking districts could be established there, bringing considerable trade and money to the city. Operating costs would be eliminated, he pointed out, and tax rates would go down generally with the removal of a costly burden.
Joseph N. Hettel, also a member of the committee, pointed out that both areas would be ripe for use as industrial sites or for a new housing project. Hettel said that if a city housing authority were established, such an agency could obtain its own bonds and be established as an independent venture, divorced from the municipal government but perhaps subsidized by the federal government.
Mayor von Nieda, expressing himself in harmony with plans for eliminating sub-standard areas, declared that he was opposed to the city's spending any money until the city could receive assurance that the income would be as much as the loss.
The committee also considered the project on which the government is spending $3,000,000 at Westfield Acres in the construction of a low-cost housing venture. George V. Walsh, Camden district manager of the PWA housing division, said the superstructure bid of Anthony P. Miller, of Atlantic City, had been accepted.
Jobs for 500 Men
The Miller contract figure was $2,489,000. The contract has not been awarded as yet. Walsh said that foundation work would be finished Sept. 10 and that superstructure work would start Sept. 15. Completion in one year is provided by contract.
Walsh said 500 men would be employed on the superstructure work and that 800 men would be given jobs at the peak of the work. The housing plan is for three-story apartments of three, four and five rooms each. There will be 598 apartments in all, with central heating and fireproof construction. The Westfield Acres project will cover 25 acres.
Mayor von Nieda criticized the estimates of the state survey group when he said that the figures given for relief and school costs were high. These ate the city's main operating expenses, he said, and they would go on though persons living in the two areas went elsewhere.
Abe Rosenfeld, a real estate man, and James V. Moran also attended the meeting.
CALO
DOG and CAT FOOD
"His Master's Choice"
Contains Choice Red Meat!
Advisory Board Suggests Razing 895 Dwellings In 2 Areas, Classified as Sub-Standard; Mayor Favors Plan For Parking Spaces
Elimination of 20 blocks of what were characterized as sub-standard properties in Camden was recommended to the city yesterday by the Camden Housing Advisory Committee.
Although it was urged that the city clear out two large areas as an economy measure, no plan was suggested whereby the city could obtain money to finance the clearance project.
The two areas that would be affected if such a proposal were carried out are as follows:
The recommendation was made in the office of Mayor Frederick von Nieda by James W. Burnison, head of the housing advisory committee. Burnison termed the two areas of ten blocks each definitely sub-standard and said that the city should consider them for condemnation proceedings to effect an appreciable saving to Camden of municipal service costs.
The recommendation was made on the basis of a survey completed by the State Housing Authority. Conditions in the 20 blocks were pictured as causing an annual total loss to the city of $156,791.04. In the two areas are 895 dwellings.
It was estimated in the state survey that the city's annual operating costs in the first area, Area A, are $95,335.30. The annual income to the city in the same area was put at $27,061.63. The annual loss to the city was fixed by the survey as $68,273.67.
Operating costs in Area B were estimated at $106,178.88 per year with an income of $17,661.51. The loss was placed at $88,517.37.
The costs were said to embrace fire protection, police protection, education, relief and health expenditures. The income is from taxes and municipal liens.
Burnison said that by tearing out the affected areas, free parking districts could be established there, bringing considerable trade and money to the city. Operating costs would be eliminated, he pointed out, and tax rates would go down generally with the removal of a costly burden.
Joseph N. Hettel, also a member of the committee, pointed out that both areas would be ripe for use as industrial sites or for a new housing project. Hettel said that if a city housing authority were established, such an agency could obtain its own bonds and be established as an independent venture, divorced from the municipal government but perhaps subsidized by the federal government.
Mayor von Nieda, expressing himself in harmony with plans for eliminating sub-standard areas, declared that he was opposed to the city's spending any money until the city could receive assurance that the income would be as much as the loss.
The committee also considered the project on which the government is spending $3,000,000 at Westfield Acres in the construction of a low-cost housing venture. George V. Walsh, Camden district manager of the PWA housing division, said the superstructure bid of Anthony P. Miller, of Atlantic City, had been accepted.
Jobs for 500 Men
The Miller contract figure was $2,489,000. The contract has not been awarded as yet. Walsh said that foundation work would be finished Sept. 10 and that superstructure work would start Sept. 15. Completion in one year is provided by contract.
Walsh said 500 men would be employed on the superstructure work and that 800 men would be given jobs at the peak of the work. The housing plan is for three-story apartments of three, four and five rooms each. There will be 598 apartments in all, with central heating and fireproof construction. The Westfield Acres project will cover 25 acres.
Mayor von Nieda criticized the estimates of the state survey group when he said that the figures given for relief and school costs were high. These ate [sic] the city's main operating expenses, he said, and they would go on though persons living in the two areas went elsewhere.
