More houses have been built during the past eight years--over nine
million--than during any previous eight years in history.
An historic new approach--Urban Renewal--now replaces piecemeal thrusts at
slum pockets and urban blight. Communities engaged in urban renewal have
doubled and renewal projects have more than tripled since 1953. An
estimated 68 projects in 50 cities will be completed by the end of the
current fiscal year; another 577 projects will be underway, and planning
for 310 more will be in process. A total of $2 billion in Federal grants
will ultimately be required to finance these 955 projects.
New programs have been initiated to provide more and better housing for
elderly people. Approximately 25,000 units especially designed for the
elderly have been built, started, or approved in the past three years.
For the first time, because of Federal help and .encouragement, 90
metropolitan areas and urban regions and 1140 smaller towns throughout the
country are making comprehensive development plans for their future growth
and development.
American communities have been helped to plan water and sanitation systems
and schools through planning advances for 1600 public works projects with a
construction cost of nearly $2 billion.
Mortgage insurance on individual homes has been greatly expanded. During
the past eight years, the Federal Housing Administration alone insured over
21/2 million home mortgages valued at $27 billion, and in addition, insured
more than ten million property improvement loans.
The Federal government must continue to provide leadership in order to make
our cities and communities better places in which to live, work, and raise
families, but without usurping rightful local authority, replacing
individual responsibility, or stifling private initiative.