Considers S. 593 and numerous related bills dealing with various aspects of housing and urban development, with particular emphasis on home ownership and urban housing rehabilitation, pt. 1. Continuation of hearings on S. 511 and 39 related bills diversely intended to improve physical, economic, and social conditions in urban areas, to provide Federal assistance for development and renewal projects, and to facilitate the purchase and payment of mortgages by low- or moderate-income families and educational institutions, pt. 2.

The quality of the environment in which people live, work, and play influences to no small degree the quality of life itself. The environment can be satisfying and attractive and provide scope for individual development or it can be poisonous, irritating and stunting. The papers in this volume, first published in 1969, are concerned with the urban environment – in which the majority of Americans live – or, more accurately, with the environment of urbanites, for the concern extends to outlying areas where urban dwellers visit and play. The chapters aim to provide a better understanding of the natural resource elements in the urban environment, and will be of interest to students of environmental studies and human geography.