Subsistence Homesteads Division

A Homestead and Hope

Subsistence Homesteads Division was a New Deal agency created in 1933 under the United States Department of the Interior. It was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal aimed at relieving unemployment during the Great Depression. The division's goal was to create a series of planned communities that would allow the poor and unemployed urban workers to relocate to small plots of land where they could live more self-sufficiently, growing their own food and, in some cases, operating small businesses.

Background

The concept of subsistence homesteading drew on earlier progressive ideas about land reform and rural uplift. These ideas were designed to address the urban crisis of the Great Depression by providing a healthier, more economically stable environment in rural areas. The Division was influenced by the work of reformers like Ebenezer Howard and his Garden City Movement, which advocated for self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" containing proportionate areas of residences, industry, and agriculture.

Creation and Implementation

The Subsistence Homesteads Division was established through an executive order by President Roosevelt. The initiative was part of a broader set of policies aimed at economic recovery and social reform. The Division was tasked with acquiring land, planning and developing homestead communities, and selecting and relocating families. Funding for the project came from the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933.

Communities

Several communities were developed under the Subsistence Homesteads Division, each designed to be partly self-sufficient, with residents engaging in both agriculture and light manufacturing or crafts. Notable examples include:

• Arthurdale, West Virginia: Perhaps the most famous of the subsistence homesteads projects, Arthurdale was championed by Eleanor Roosevelt. It was designed to assist impoverished coal miners and their families.
• Norris, Tennessee: Created as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority's efforts, Norris was designed to be a model of rural community planning, with homes built using modern architectural designs and materials.
• Greenbelt, Maryland: One of three "greenbelt" communities built to embody the garden city concept, featuring cooperative businesses and farms.

Impact and Legacy

The Subsistence Homesteads Division had a mixed legacy. While it helped some families escape urban poverty and fostered innovative community designs, the program faced criticism for its selection processes, management issues, and the quality of land selected for homesteading. Additionally, the onset of World War II shifted national priorities away from domestic programs like subsistence homesteading.

Despite its challenges, the Division's projects left a lasting impact on community planning and development in the United States. The idea of integrating residential, agricultural, and industrial development into single planned communities influenced later urban and suburban planning efforts.

Conclusion

The Subsistence Homesteads Division represents an intriguing chapter in the history of American social policy and urban planning. While not without its flaws, the Division's efforts to create self-sufficient communities during the Great Depression highlight the era's innovative approaches to addressing economic hardship and unemployment.