Evening star., 1922-12-31
Believes Shortage Exists.


This total is only tMo-thirds of the
purely theoretical figure previously
adopted. Applying this ratio to the
remaining years, reasonably reli-
able process. the housing value Of our
1884 apartment houses becomes 7,341
and the total number of homes built
since July 1. 1915, 1901. which, with
our previous average family of A
persons. would shelter 66.312 people.
leaving. therefore, unprovided for H.
933 of the total increase in population
since July 1. 1915. This remnant could
be accommodated by building 3.400
homes Of one sort or another. or
age annual output of new homes.
On this basis alone we are faced
with continuance Of building activi-
ty on its present average scale until
the close of December, 1928. But other
factors also enter. Destruction by fire
during these seven years has caused
significant reduction in the net in
crease In homes and the invasion OF
former residential areas by business
has caused still greater losses. Most
important of all. however, among the
influences affecting our housing situa-
tion not hitherto considered Is the ap-
parently ineradicable tendency of the
human race to get married. Apparent
ly this has been the most potent cause
of the shortage of homes here and
everywhere.
Cupid Does His Part.
Who can measure love or its effect? -?
No one would venture to attempt to
set measure on this force that alone
makes the world go. or, rather. no one
but that cold. practical. yet useful.
materialist, the builder of homes. He
it is that. with an eye to business
profit. consults our vital statistics
and learns that in the District of Co
lumbia an average of 5000 weddings
is recorded each year and that half
of these newly-weds move into their
own love nests. Hence. our average
family cannot be assumed at "A, but
we must make due allowance for the
fact that each year 5000 newt homes
are taken for the use of only 5000
people.
To accommodate all those who have,
since July l. 1915. become the victims
of Cupid's dart and who cared neither
to live with their parents nor to
board would apparently have de-
manded seven times 5000 homes. or
$1,000 in all. a total exceeding by
ever kind brought into existence in
that period, and even so only $4,000
of our increased population would
have been accommodated. leaving
practically an equal number impa-
tiently waiting for the builder to
Sees Nine or Ten Year Shortage.
On this basis we are short practi-
cally $500 domiciles today. II we can
continue to build at the high rate re-
corded in 1922. in round figures say
$500 homes per year, we might safely
predict that two years and half
would be needed to overcome the
present shortage. 1t will be seen.
therefore, that. unless the popula-
ton remains stationary in numbers
and completely abandons the marry
ing habit. both assumptions, especial
ly the latter, being out OF all reason.
We have every cause to expect the
housing shortage to continue for at
least nine or ten years longer.
Indeed. the figures themselves in
dicate a more prolonged stringency.
/ because the records show that. ex-
cluding the figures for the fiscal years
1915, 1917 and 1918, which may with
propriety be assumed to have been
affected by the war, and using only
the figures for years that can reason
ably be regarded as normal, in the
four years since July 1. 1918. mar
riages have been increasing. the aver
age for this period, nearly $500.
/, being reduced by the record for last
year, whose low figure Is undoubte edly
due to the business depression then
prevailing. This may be seen from
! the table that follows. which is de-
rived from the records OF the clerk of
the District Supreme Court:
Number Of marriage licenses issued
from July ]. 1915. to June 80, 1922. in