Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-03-24
APARTMENTS TO
SOLVE HOUSING
PROBLEM URGED
Forum Orders Chamber
Directors To Get
Facts At Once

The board of directors of the
Chamber of Commerce were in
structed at the first membership TO-
rum meeting of the reorganized BODY
held yesterday at the courthouse, to
name Immediately two committees to
investigate ways and means of pro-
curing new homes in Americus, one
to go into the matter of apartments
or homes for rental purposes and THE
other the matter of homes to be own
ed by the builder.
Build apartment houses. That is
the only way to solve the problem.
There is large percentage of desira-
BILE people that cannot own their
homes for one reason or another,
and there must be places for them
to live or they will go elsewhere.
And the only way to build apart
ment houses is to put your hand
down into your pockets and do it.
During the war you bought Liberty
bonds as a patriotic duty to your
country. Now it is your patriotic
duty to your city to take a lesser rate
than per cent for your money, Just
as you did in buying Liberty bonds,
and put it into places for people to
hive. That's the way you will be able
to make your town grow and keep
up with the procession, and the only
way"
Gets to Point.
These were the words spoken by A.
W. Allison, of Albany, formerly of
Americus, when he responded to an
invitation to speak at the forum
meeting. What Mr.. Allison said ap-
peared to get to the point of the
problem and its cure nearer than that
of any other person present, although
several other Illuminating talks
along the right line were made. Mr..
Allison had been asked what Albany
had done and was doing to meet the
problem, which exists there the same
as here
"Albany organized the Home
Builders association" said he, ''to
loan to the individual builder 80 der
cent of the value of the house and
lot. This association, now in opera
tion, has helped somewhat. Some
houses are being erected through it.
But it will not solve the problem, be-
cause it will not go far enough and
will not meet every need. What
Americus and Albany both need now
and need badly are houses to rent.
There are a great many people who
want to live in our cities who DO not
care to buy or own their homes.
Among these are desirable people,
representatives, perhaps, of outside
corporations who do not feel perma-
nently enough located to wish to tie
up their money in any one place
They are substantial people, an asset
to the community, who spend their
money with US and are a part of the
community.
cat present costs, building houses
to rent is out of the question. But
seems to be a way out, because of
the great economy in cost that ca.
be practiced in building this type of
houses. There is a great saving in
roof, walls and lost space, and many
persons can be given home for the
same expenditure, which increases
the possibilities of rental return from
the investment.
Simply Go To 1t.
"The way to handle it is to go to
it. If one man can't build an apart
mlnt. or doesn't care to, let two or
three or four men go together and
build one. A few groups doing this
would work wonders for your town
and solve your housing situation.
And now is the time to do it. Many
have waited for prices to 60 down.
But they haven't gore down and they
don't seem to be going in that direc-
ton at all. Albany decided she
couldn't afford to wait any longer,
as people were moving away because
they couldn't be given homes and
the town was the loser so we are
getting busy along this line.
"You may want to wait longer, be-
cause of present costs, but while
YOU are waiting other towns will be
doing something, and you will be the
loser"
Mr.. Allison was given hearty ap-
plause as he concluded. He was fol-
lowed by Everette Schneider, who
proposed the resolution adopted re-
ouesting the board of directors to
appoint two committees to investi-
gate the proposition of getting homes
built in Americas, one to look into
the matter of homes to be owned by
the builders, and the other the mat
ter of apartment houses or other
propetry for rental purposes.
''We've got to all loosen up and
do something for Americus," was
the comment Of John Sheffield, who
presided over the meeting, as the
resolution of Mr.. Schneider was
passed.
Ellis Opens Discussion.
The meeting was called to order at
A o'clock. Probably fifty representa-
tive citizens were pre7ent, several OF
them chiefly interested in the subject
of the proposed light and gas rate
increase, discussion Of which was
also taken up at The meeting after
the close of the housing discussion.
Col. George R. Ellis was asked to
open the discussion, which he did IN
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