City-Visible and Invisible" for its annual convention scheduled for 1964 in St. Louis, Mo. The program speakers include persons of acknowledged abilities in the disciplines of medicine, religion, law, government (city, State and National), history, and architecture. These speakers will attempt to define some of the elusive factors that contribute to the character, culture, and problems of a community. We have demonstrated our support of a proposed White House Conference on Urban Problems, which the late President, John F. Kennedy, had sought to organize as evidenced by the attached letter from Mr. Henry L. Wright, FAIA, institute president at that time, to President Kennedy. We are still hopeful that such a conference can be realized. The profession, however, in discharging its responsibilities to society, must operate within a governmental and socioeconomic framework which at present does not have the full capabilities to solve the myriad of problems which relate to housing and community development. Some building codes are obsolete, some zoning ordinances are arbitrary, and taxation on property in some cases tends to penalize design solutions which benefit the community the most. These are but a few of the factors which contribute to the ugliness and wastefulness which engulf our communities. Citizens at all levels, including the architectural profession, must share the responsibility for this dilemma. And citizens at all levels must seek and demand effective programs to stem this tide and to provide positive safeguards to assure the public that the future holds promise of better things. The problems of community development are becoming progressively more acute as we continue to ignore the virtues of sound and orderly planning. As the cities continue to sprawl, they continue to traverse more and more political entities, few of which has the authority or perception to seek solutions to the large metropolitan complex. The American Institute of Architects has dedicated itself to building better American communities and to working with Federal, State, and local governments in every possible way to bring this about. NEW COMMUNITIES It is, therefore, of singular significance to the architectural profession that the subject legislation proposes the "new community" concept as recommended by President Johnson in his housing message to Congress. This concept represents the recognition of the vital need for planning the future growth of the populated urban areas which heretofore have been left to sprawl and grow with little or no attempt to anticipate the consequences which we are realizing today. It is anticipated that by the year 2000, our urban population will represent 85 percent of the total population. Bear in mind, please, that the architectural profession will ultimately be responsible for the design of whatever facilities are provided. It is, therefore, a matter of grave concern that we plan now for the future. As this subcommittee knows, projects in the Scandinavian countries, England, and a few in this country have demonstrated that, with adequate and thoroughly comprehensive planning, new communities can assume new proportions in providing better places for the people of a nation to live. (Appended to this statement is a list of writings which provide substantive facts relating to existing and proposed "new towns" abroad, as well as here in the United States.) New communities planned with a variety of housing and the necessary services can greatly relieve our blighted urban areas. Not only will the people be provided with new and better housing, but the cities themselves will be relieved of much of the ugly waste which today characterizes the urban scene. The soundness of those provisions which make planning grants available to groups of adjacent communities, metropolitan and regional planning bodies, redevelopment areas and especially for new communities, is self-evident. Providing the means for communities to coordinate their efforts in planning will provide an orderly growth pattern which will stimulate the communities to recognize those areas which can be soundly and economically developed. It is most gratifying to find the program being approached through a coalition of public and private enterprise. With the incentives and direction provided in this program, the planning agency and hence the developer will be stimulated to conceive projects in their totality whether they be new communities or subdivisions, with the resultant effect of more efficient use of public facilities, a conservation of land resources, a well-balanced economic development and consequently a better community. We are also pleased to find that the proposed legislation requires that projects qualifying under this act must comply with the comprehensive plan for the area in which it is proposed. It is extremely important that a new community be considered in relation to its sursoundings; it is not an isolated, detached entity. The community concept is vitally needed. We strongly support the legislation which will enable implementation of the new community concept. URBAN RENEWAL The programs in urban renewal have met with acceptance in over 700 communities and the architectural profession has been largely responsible for the design aspects of these renewal projects. "New communities" and urban renewal should be considered as complementary programs. The way in which a family lives is strongly conditioned by the choices of community environment available and it remains the concern of the architectural profession that there be a real choice. In supporting the urban renewal concept in the past, the American Institute of Architects has laid great emphasis on the need to provide continuity of purpose and technique. It is, therefore, a pleasure to speak out in favor of continuing and improving this program to eliminate the blight and decay from our cities. We would, however, urge that the allocation of the funds for this program not be rationed to the States, as has been advocated by some sources. The present technique of allocation, which recognizes local initiative and need and adequate planning preparation, on a first-come first-served basis is a much more equitable system. LOW-INCOME HOUSING Since the inception of the first Government program in low-income housing in 1933, the architectural profession has been deeply involved with many aspects of this category of housing. It is the architect who must design and administer the execution of the buildings which are built. And it is the architect who must accept the responsibility for how well the buildings satisfy the need. We are, therefore, concerned that the low-income housing program provide a reasonable and workable framework within which the architect can achieve good planning and design. The American Institute of Architects has collaborated most fruitfully with the Public Housing Administration and others in developing procedures to improve the quality of low-rent housing. We are convinced that this enlightened program of seeking good design in the low-income housing area will pay enormous dividends to the people of our Nation-all the people, not just those who live in these projects. We are confident that Government, with the business and professional community, will continue to search for new and imaginative programs to provide adequate shelter for the less prosperous citizens. We support the provisions of the subject legislation to acquire and rehabilitate existing housing as a noteworthy method for meeting a current but temporary need. We also strongly support the bill's intent to realize new housing starts. The low-rent inventory must be expanded if the program of providing suitable housing for the low-income category of our population is to be successful. HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY Housing of the elderly has received a substantial amount of interest by the architectural profession. Except for very special groups of elderly, most persons in this category must seek housing which meets their needs, both economically and physically. The institute committee, studying housing for the elderly, has made great progress in recognizing the unique characteristics of this building type. The architect must be responsible for the end product-buildings to meet the special needs of the elderly. Appended to this statement is a copy of a letter to President Kennedy which indicates our interest in the financial aspects of the elderly housing program. It is also gratifying to see that provision is now being made to accommodate the elderly displaced by urban renewal and, though not specifically the elderly, it is proposing to include individuals as well as families displaced by urban renewal. A considerable segment of those individuals displaced by urban renewal will be in the elderly category. And we would hope that these provisions will result in making available a supply of housing to replace the unsightly and depressing "skid row" tenements in the urban communities. The American Institute of Architects supports the proposed legislative programs for the housing of our senior citizens. MASS TRANSPORTATION Many of the current problems of our urban areas are closely allied with the lack of foresight and the indecision concerning transportation problems. The American Institute of Architects has long advocated that balanced transportation is vital to the well-being of all urban communities and has so testified in the past before the committees of Congress. (Copy appended.) We still support these views and while recognizing the complexities of financing, we strongly urge enactment of the pending legislation. MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF CONDOMINIUMS While we find no objection to the intent of this provision to liberalize the mortgage insurance program for condominiums, we do find objection to the system of establishing mortgage insurance limits. The architectural profession is intimately involved with the financial arrangements for any building project, as the limits of construction budget are the limitations upon design as well. We find that in the subject legislation it is proposed that the limits on a construction mortgage for the building of multifamily housing to be sold as a condominium, are established in a similar manner as the limits currently applied to an investor-sponsor cooperative project. As a result of experience with the room count technique, many architects are less than enthusiastic concerning its usefulness in establishing mortgage insurance limits. The room count formula is not in all cases reasonable and is not sufficiently flexible to always encourage the best solutions to the living patterns of the prospective tenants. This method at best, is a crude measure of the living facilities to be provided. We strongly urge that further study be made to initiate a better method of fixing mortgage limits, as it relates to this bill and to the currently active programs in FHA. We will be most gratified to offer our professional advice to the appropriate agency. TRAINING AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS The best conceived programs for solving the urban problems of contemporary America can realize success only when administered and executed by qualified and dedicated personnel. To this end, we strongly support these provisions which make matching grants available to the States for the development of the necessary skills which are vitally needed to assure our communities of sound and orderly growth. It is also significant to recognize the need to close a long-felt gap in research of the problems which face our communities. Until those problems are adequately identified and solved, efforts in community development will be handicapped. Training and research in this area are interrelated. We therefore support those provisions which would make this needed training and research possible. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The American Institute of Architects has, since its Centennial Convention of 1957, supported the concept of providing Cabinet stature for the programs in housing and community development. Organized with Cabinet rank, considerable authority and prestige would naturally be associated with the problems of housing and community development, thus assuring them of a greater probability of successful solution. In many senses, the sheer weight of the current programs of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, and the additional programs proposed by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1964 dramatize the need for a higher echelon of Government responsibility. Thank you. THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, The PRESIDENT, The White House, Washington, D.C. MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I have followed with interest the request of several organizations, including the United States Conference of Mayors, that you call a White House Conference on Urban Problems before the end of 1963. The more than 15,000 members of the architectural profession represented by the American Institute of Architects have long been concerned with the vast complexities of urban living. Our design talents in the physical development of communities constantly bring us into contact with the many facets of urban development including housing, land conservation, transportation and rehabilitation. The American Institute of Architects has been concerned with some of these problems to such an extent that in the spring of 1962 a program to combat urban ugliness was instituted in the form of a Conference on Aesthetic Responsibility held in New York City under the auspices of the AIA Board Committee on Design. I would like to encourage you to call such a White House conference having representation from the community-level onward so that a national forum will provide an opportunity to discuss these many problems, to exchange ideas, project solutions and to focus the attention of the public at large on the seriousness and pertinence of these matters. Yours respectfully, HENRY L. WRIGHT, F.A.I.A., President. THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS: LIST OF WRITINGS RELATING TO "NEW TOWNS" "The New Towns, the Answer to Megalopolis," Frederic J. Osborn and Arnold Whittick, Leonard Hill, London, 1963. "Toward New Towns for America," Clarence Stein, Reinhold Publishing Corp., 1957. "New Towns for the Appalachian Region, a Case Study Located in Eastern Kentucky," Department of Architecture, University of Kentucky, Kentucky Research Foundation, 1960. "Preliminary Outline for the Copenhagen Metropolitan Region," Copenhagen Regional Planning Office, 1961. "New Towns for America," Robert W. Murray Jr., House and Home magazine, February 1964. "New Towns: Latest Financial Results," Frederic J. Osborn, Town and Country Planning magazine (London) January 1964. "Building a City and a Metropolis: The Planned Development of Stockholm," Yagve Larsson, Journal of the American Institute of Planners, November 1962. THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, MY DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: This communication is addressed to your committee in support of the urban mass transportation bill, S. 6, which has been introduced by Senator Williams of New Jersey and others. Although I am engaged in the practice of architecture in Los Angeles, Calif., this message is being directed in my capacity as president of the American Institute of Architects. The institute, now in its 106th year, is a professional association composed of over 15,000 members with representation in all States of the Union. The design talents of our profession dealing with the physical development of our communities constantly bring us into contact with the many problems of urban development, including adequate transportation. The support for improvement of mass transit services is not a new concern of the American Institute of Architects. Several years have elapsed since the following statement was made by past president of the institute, Philip Will, Jr.: "The restoration and effective development of our urban centers are vital to our national economy. Such restoration and redevelopment can only be accomplished by comprehensive planning and design. An integral part of such activity is the provision of effective transportation facilities. "Our cities are strangling in vehicular traffic. Heavy reliance on movement by automobile through obsolete street patterns in congested areas has glutted our roadways, hastened the decline of our downtown districts, and added steadily to the cost of services in our suburban areas. This strangulation by traffic can only be eased by effective development of mass transportation. If we are to depend upon automobiles alone for urban transportation, we face the ultimate prospect of a paved urban landscape in which the needs of community are subordinated to that of a single means of conveyance." The Urban Design Committee of the American Institute of Architects has recommended the following statement that has been approved by the institute board of directors: "The circulation system, including its streets and highways, is an inseparable part of the whole design of a city. Located and constructed independently of the city's plan for land utilization and without regard to the visual character of the structure as an important element of urban design, the most carefully engineered expressways and highways result in displacement of important buildings, disruption of established neighborhoods, wasteful use of land and unsightly structures uncorrelated with their surroundings. It is therefore the policy of the AIA to support and encourage the design of highways and other transportation routes in urban areas as integral parts of the whole design of the city." We agree with the transportation message of the President in which he states: "A long-range program of Federal assistance for mass transportation is urgently needed so that local communities may freely decide for themselves the proper balance of local public investment in highways and in mass transportation, whether rail or bus." We also agree with the statement of the Federal Housing Administrator wherein he stated that this proposed legislation will not solve all the Nation's transit problems but is vital to help States and cities to get started toward solutions. We encourage legislation that will develop planning and establishment of regional urban mass transportation systems that will complement and cooperate with the efforts of both private and public transportation systems. We also encourage legislation that will help both private and public transportation systems, with the final determination of private versus public operation being determined by local needs. In deliberating this legislation, may we urge the greatest care in the coordination and consideration of problems of relocation and may we suggest the closest cooperation of the Housing and Home Finance Agency as well as the Department of Commerce in the coordination of efforts in the total field of transportation. This legislation could be an important means of relating transportation to the comprehensive plan for our communities. Traffic cannot be considered as a separate and isolated problem. It does not generate itself, but derives from the uses of land for the design and construction of buildings and facilities. provide any community with vitality, economic health, and beauty which are the goals of the large-scale urban architecture, efficient land use, access, storage, and movement of people and goods must be planned as elements of the comprehensive problem. To The American Institute of Architects therefore supports the objectives of this legislation which would assist State and local governments and their instrumentalities in planning and providing for necessary community facilities to develop and improve essential transportation services in the urban areas of this Nation. Respectfully, HENRY L. WRIGHT, F.A.I.A., President. THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, THE PRESIDENT, The White House, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: The American Institute of Architects feels strongly that the present programs of housing for the elderly serve an important segment of the aged, but need to be strengthened so as to widen the opportunity for older persons at the lower end of the middle-income scale. The direct loan program is a very helpful and popular one with which the architects of this Nation have had considerable experience. The Committee on Housing for the Aging of the American Institute of Architects has reviewed at length financing problems in connection with it and feels from its experience, and from the experience of other architects, that many elderly people badly in |