University Will Reduce Housing Despite Appeal

There will be no change in the University veterans housing program, vice-President Reynolds announced last night. This program involves tearing down 72 units of the Harvard Way Extension housing development this summer.

The University decision to reduce its housing facilities and accomodate only 66 families came after administration officials, including President Conant, studied an American Veterans Committee report which warned that a "desperate need" for housing still exists.

An AVC spokesman said last night that it was scheduling a meeting of all veterans' families who contributed to the housing report to discuss the University stand. He added that the AVC hoped a committee would form to continue urging the University to change its veterans housing policy.

Report Respected

Wellington F. Scott '49 1L, who drew up and tabulated the questionnaires on which the AVC based its report, said he was pleased by the serious consideration the University gave the AVC recommendations to keep all available veterans housing, but that he was of course disappointed with the final decision.

One thousand, two hundred and seventy five married students out of 2,375 registered with the University replied to the AVC questionnaires.

The resulting report, submitted to the University on March 29, said there were "some 400 married students, now paying from $50 to $100 rent per month, who desire housing of the type which the University proposes to destroy, and who have tried to obtain such housing." Many of these will not have finished their college work until June, 1951, the report added.

Rent Raises Planned

Rental rates on University housing average $35 monthly. Slight hikes in these prices are also part of the new housing program which will go into effect in September.

The units at Harvard Way Extension marked for dismantling were given to the University under the MacGregor and Lanham Acts in 1946. Land on which the houses were built came from the University, which has maintained the homes since their construction.

One hundred and fifty students were noted in the AVC report as particularly needy. They include those who are not in University housing, will not graduate before June, 1951, have from one to three children, and have incomes under $4000.

Cambridge rents, many student veterans complained, are often oppressively high.