Indiana daily times., 1920-02-20
VAST HOUSING
k>.AIMED TO MEET
CITY'S PROGRESS
Realty Board to Take Step at
Conference With Other
Bodies.
TWO PLANS PROPOSED

A determined effort viii be made in
8 he near future to provide broad hous-
r ing plan for indianapolis which Will per-
nit- the city to attain the great indus
rial expansion predicted for 1t within
the next five years.
The indianapolis Real Estate Board
8 win take the initiative in the matter.
The housing committee of the board will
call a conference of representatives of
manufacturers and other civic bodies
within the next two weeks to formulate
program.
aThe objective includes the elimination
;SSf the present house shortage and provt-
slse Aor the needs of the future. Two
general plans have been advanced:
Tlrst, gigantic corporation organ
lied to purchase and provide mate
rtal on a wholesale basis for local
builders use.
Second, a corporation to undertake
to build homes on a wholesale basis,
financed by local interests.
Real estate men, contractors, fnanciers,
lumber dealers, prospective home owners
Z and countless citizens interested in the
growth and prosperity of Indianapolis
are asked to give consideration to the
problem.
GIGANTIC AGENCY
To HANDLE MATERIALS.
A gigantic material agency or corpo-
ration in charge of experienced material
! men, fostered by the Indianapolis Real
Estate Board, civic organizations,
municipal cooperation, manufacturers,
banks, citizens, prospective home build
ers, commercial builders, financed by
Il millions Of dollars if necessary, is the
foundation plan advocated by Thomas
q Carson. president Of the indianapolis
81 Real Estate Board.
This housing problem is the most
81 vital issue confronting Indianapolis to-
q day" declared Mr. Carson, "and 1t Is
not a one-man job, nor a one-dozen men
undertaking, but 1t is a city-wide ven
ture and will affect every individual
Other cities have financed homes for
any man who looked good, because they
y have realized that 1t is essential to city
n development.
indianapolis must get out Of the vii
lage type. Indianapolis business Sec
ton must be enlarged, and we've got
10 bust up a few combinations that
are today throttling trade because of
real estate values in the downtown sec
tion.
"Let's get a financial and civic awaken
Nszakpg first, and then go ahead with plan
that will get right down at the root of
the evil, take up preventive issues, Sc
& cure a cooperation of brains and money
Il and then this housing problem will be-
gin to fade out or the horizon.
Lets organize a material agency, buy
3 wholesale quantities Of lumber through
y the corporation, buy up southern mills If
necessary, erect local warehouses and mill
yards and then enable home owners to
! buy homes on more favorable terms"
A. S. Macleod realter, 1107-12 Law
building, believes In this suggestion of a
corporation to undertake to supply
/ cheaper materials, which with the CO.
operation of the local builders would
mean more homes at more reasonable
price.
do not run the small contractor out
of town." insisted Mr.. Macleod, "but
= on the contrary, help him to help home
buyers by Incorporating an organization
IL that will buy up lumber on the stump,
81 contract, with southern firms for mill
work, or erect mills, establish yards here,
and sell to the contractor on a 6 per
cent basis, and discriminate against no
u one in selling cheaper materials. In
other word, let's have wholesale purchas-
R1ng and retail distributing. I believe
9 such an organization, properly managed.
a can bring about cuts in costs OF 10 to
20 per cent There are thousands of
prospective home owners right here now
who want to build within their means"
c. B. Durham, 75S Lemcke Annex,
= realtor, projected the idea that industrial
concerns should take a leading part in
any sheme evolved to solve the problem.
OPPORTUNITY GIVEN
TO SHOW LOYALTY.
n Every loyal manufacturing hrm in
4 terested in. its employees should set aside
q a fund available for commercial build
i ers for homes for factory employees"
. he said. ''The city's annual labor turn
over, due IN part to lack of housing ia
cilities, is al enormous amount Of money,
and every large concern can well afford
to put more human interest in its EN-
81 ployes. I'm in favor Of large housing
- organization to reduce costs Of build
= ing, and feel that materials can be made
III kheaper in such an organization"
J. Frank Cantwel1, realtoT, suggests
that the city lend aid to the poor man
who wants to buy a home, pointing out
the municipal responsibility to foster a
corporation that will foster cheaper
homes.
& I've need some charitable old soul who
8 viii donate $4,000 or so to project that
~ viii help the cause" said Mr.. Cantwell,
revolving a plan whereby the prospective
81 home owner will be financially assisted
81 In making the plunge for home Of his
own. By all means let us get behind any
plan that will bring down the wall that
prevents the working men from owning
81 homes"
81 LARGE CORPORATION
SEEN AS SOLUTION.
"A large corporation to build houses
and sell building materials at the very
2 lowest figure to individual builders might
solve the problem. It would have to be
large enough TO own its own yards, mills
q and perhaps some lumber mills In the
4 south" declared William L. Bridges, 3S9
Pythian building, a prominent home
builder an realtor
Such a corporation would have TO be
supported by the manufacturing interests
and business concerns almost entirely in
stock purchase, 6 per cent basis" he
added.
High prices Of materials, Mr.. Bridges
pointed out, is not the only phase Of the
problem, but rising prices must be con-
sidered. Building today, he said was
menaced by multiplied, excessive costs.
w. e. Bash, a member of the execu-
4 tive committee of the National Association
5Sef Real Estate Boards, who attended re-
Gently a meeting of the national commit
tee, declared that other cities were aiding
! In home building expansion by formation
s. of gigantic housing corporations, with
s capital ranging from $4,000 to
g S5,O00O00.
= I'VE must do something at once" Mr.
81 Bash declared, for manufacturers are
not able to attract labor to indianapolis
q because of shortage of houses. This
"a housing organization must be formed
q without delay, take over a oslution of
81 cheaper materials, and get more houses