Evening star., 1920-06-26
WASHINGTON FACES
HOUSING SHORTAGE
AGAIN NEXT FALL
Builders and Real Estate
Men See No Relief in Sight
for Congestion.

There will not be much moving
on moving day" October 1, of this
year. unless the present housing
shortage is greatly relieved before
that time. Local builders and rea
estate men point to conditions as
serious next fall as they are now.
As aptly expressed by William E
Shannon, president of the firm oi
Middaugh & Shannon, builders. the
time to buy homes is right now.
Next fall, he declared, houses Will be
fewer in number and higher in price
due to an inequality between supply
and demand.
Every building material, with the
possible exception of lumber, has IN
creased in price steadily in the past
few months" said Mr.. Shannon. "As
a result a number of builders have
practically suspended operation or
have curtailed production to sucn All
extent that dangers of house 1amlne
are greatly magnified-'
According to Mr.. Shannon. VINO mas
lust returned from a tour of 1nspec-
ton of building operations IN the
middle west and east, the public, de
spite the shortage. is demanding Ina
homes be not merely slapped 10
gether'' in a row and covered with an
improvised roof Builders in citles ne
visited have all come to realization
of the fact that houses must be some
thing more than shelters.
No Market for Mansions.
Neither is there a market for So
called mansions of extravaganza, ne
asserted Many builders of homes III
the past have held to the conVlctioii
that, the public will pay regardless
of the cost" If homes OF 1his rype
have been constructed in Wasninst ton'
they will become as consequence
burden to the market. it is said
The home costing between S9,0oo ana
$4,000, erected with a regard 1or coI-
servation, but, nevertheless, on SUD
stantial basis, and designed to be per.
manent family home, is the cynosure OF
most homeseekers at present, in the
opinion of Mr.. Shannon and others Tnat
this fact is true is shown by the in
creased number of building permits Is
sued each week by the building inspec-
tor covering operations or this cnar-
acter.
A majority of local builders, in view
of this development, are devoting their
entire attention to homes selling at a
reasonable figure. Many. unable to Sc
cure the necessary materials and pay
for the labor involved. are standing
by In the hope that the situation soon
will be relieved
Improvement in the receipt OF build
ing material manifested this week has
been Offset to a considerable degree by
complications in the matter of coal sup
ply at mills, kilns and factories, Mr..
Shannon explains.
"One large hollow tile manufacturing
company. operating plants in New Jer-
pey, reported being compelled to pay $12
a ton for spot coal. although it has con-
tracts for a coal supply at the mines
running from 81 to IS ton," he said.
This instance may be repeated many
times. even to the point of some mills
being obliged to close because they can
not obtain enough fuel to keep operat-
ing. In addition. portland cement. hy-
drate finishing lime, lath mortar, brick
mortar, plaster boards and other neces-
sary materials have advanced within the
week"
Table shows Comparative Rates.
AS evidencing the change in condi-
tions with which builders are forced
to contend, Mr.. Shannon cited a table
of comparative rates on building fac
tors published this week in a journal
as follows: