
Message to the Congress Transmitting Annual Report of the National Capital Housing Authority.
To the Congress of the United States:
I am pleased to transmit the 1967 Annual Report of the National Capital Housing Authority.
The functions of the District Government are now under the direction of a single executive, Mayor Washington. If the National Capital Housing Authority is to continue to carry out its mission in an effective manner, its operations must be closely meshed with other District activities relating to housing. Last week, to assure this coordination, I signed an Executive Order abolishing the existing 6-member Board of the Authority, and designating Mayor Washington to carry out the functions of the Authority.
This change will provide unified direction of the Authority's activities and insure the best use of our resources in providing more and better housing for eligible families.
The provision of safe, decent, economical housing is one of the major objectives of the Mayor and the City Council. Work is progressing rapidly, for example, on planning for a model community at Fort Lincoln.
In the wide range of housing to be developed for this community, public housing will be included in a balance with other low-income, moderate, and higher income units.
During the past fiscal year, the Authority has moved forward in a number of areas to expand the supply of available housing:
--Through a variety of means, privately-owned dwellings were acquired and rehabilitated.
--Construction was begun on 3 projects totaling 446 dwelling units.
--The first "Turnkey" project in the Nation, Claridge Towers, containing 343 units was acquired and opened for occupancy.
--The first major low-rent housing development in Washington with all units designed for large families was fully occupied during the fiscal year.
Nothing can do more to instill hope and lessen despair for many of our citizens than good housing. The Authority now maintains over 9,000 units of housing, but this is not adequate to meet the urgent needs of the District. Far more must be accomplished and in the least possible time.
I fully expect the National Capital Housing Authority, under the leadership of Mayor Washington, to play a leading role in making our Capital City one to which all America can look with pride.
LYNDON B. JOHNSON
The White House
March 22, 1968
Note: The report, submitted to the President on January 15, 1968, is entitled "33d Annual Report of 1967, National Capital Housing Authority" (Government Printing Office, 24 pp.).
The President referred to Executive Order 11401 "Modifying Executive Order 6868 of October 9, 1934, as amended, designating the authority to carry out the provisions of the District of Columbia Alley Dwelling Act" (4 Weekly Comp. Pres, Docs., p. 510; 33 F.R. 4559; 3 CFR, 1968 Comp., p. 106).
Lyndon B. Johnson, Message to the Congress Transmitting Annual Report of the National Capital Housing Authority. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/238206