Harvard Denies Charge

A spokesman for the Harvard News Office yesterday termed "absolutely false" the BRA's claim that the University had planned to purchase property in the North Harvard area for a soccer field.

Last Friday, the BRA defended its controversial project as a means of stopping Harvard from buying up the land and turning it into a soccer field. "When Boston politicians and public authorities get in trouble, they like to throw the blame on Harvard," William H. Stiles of the News Office said last night. "The University makes an ideal scapegoat," he added.

Stiles pointed out that Harvard had been interested in the land "for future needs," because it is close to the Business School and had been mentioned as a site for the Kennedy Library. He said, however, that any definite plans for the property, such as a soccer field, were completely nonexistent.

In an attempt to challenge another of the BRA's claims, two North Harvard residents scheduled for eviction today offered to pay, their back rent ($414) last Friday. The BRA has stated that it is evicting residents "for failure to pay their rent."

James Wheelis '64-4 said yesterday that he had offered to pay his back rent if the BRA would agree to stop the evictions. "They said that they would take the money, but they refused to waive their right to evict," Wheelis said.

Residents of the area plan to resist the BRA's attempts to evict the Wheelises tomorrow. More than 200 people are expected to stage a sit-in on the steps of the residence.

A news release put out by the North Harvard Street Neighborhood Association last Friday charges that "the BRA's decision to refuse to accept the Wheelis' rent and stop evictions, proves that we are being evicted merely to make way for a luxury apartment house, whether we pay rent or not."

Wheelis said that a bill giving residents a larger measure of con- trol in any urban renewal project affecting their homes will be introduced in the legislature Tuesday morning. Immediately afterward, the lawyer for the North Harvard residents, William Homans, Jr. will go to court to obtain a restraining order halting the evictions while the bill is being considered