Evening star., 1922-07-07


inquire into housing conditions In
Washington submits It's nnal report
to the Commissioners in a day or
two 1t will not contain a recon-
mendation for an investigation by
Congress into building conditions
here.
This was decided upon last night,
when the committee held its last
meeting in the boardroom OF the
District building and struck from
the report a suggestion that
Congress might we'll consider au-
thorizing a thorough-going investi-
CATION"
The farewell session was enlivened
by frequent tilts between julius l.
Peyser and Mai Daniel J. Donovan.
who served as presiding of1cer ror
the chairman, Mrs. Eli A. HelmicK.
Peyser complained that Donovan was
having g the several sections OF the
could not keep track Of proceedings:
After the committee had adopted
the report by sections and was abopt
to vote on 1t as a whole announcer
verbal clash occurred between Rev.
]. Milton Waldron and Mr.. Peyser:
Or. Waldron had declared that all OF
the teeth had been extracted from
the document and that it would be
disappointment to the people OF
Washington.
Discussion Shut on.
Peyser arose to take issue with
DR.. Waldron, but Chairman Donovan
prevented further debate by rapplng
loudly for order and putting the mo-
tion to adopt the report as Whoie,
which automatically dissolved the
committee.
Mrs. Helmick, chairman of the COM
mittee, then announced that she
would submit to the Commissioners
as her minority report the findings
which she laid before the committee
several weeks ago, but which were
changed in many respects-by the com,
mittee. 1t is probable that several
other members of the committee Will
sign the minority statement.
The report. as adopted. recommends
that Congress postpone for two years
enforcement of the law closing alley
dwellings in the District.
an alley commission be appointed, to
consist of three salaried members.
with power to act in improving l1V-
ing conditions Of alley dwellers..
Here is a summary of the majority
report. as it will go to the Com
missioners:
First. That there is no serious
shortage in houses available or under
construction to meet the demand for
high-priced homes. That high-priced
dwellings apparently are being con-
structed as rapidly as the present
labor and materials resources OF the
District permit
Second That the informed home
builder can procure f1rst-mortgage
money at s to per cent to cover IS
to 70 per cent of the true value of
his property
Cheaper Houses Scarce.
Third. That there is a shortage in
moderately priced houses for either pur-
chase or rent. thereby causing lack
of adequate and suitable housing facili-
ties for a large part Of the population.
Fourth. That the continuing high
prices Of building material and skilled
labor have restrained investors from
constructing rental properties and
caused spectators in building opera
tions to ask abnormally high prices on
sale.
Fifth. That high sale prices which
have retarded the financing of real es-
tate sales and the building OF low priced
houses have brought on the market
many second and third mortgages Of
doubtful value, the discounting Of which
has been responsible for many Of the
reports of profiteering.
Sixth. That any early elimination
of alley dwellers from their homes un-
der the present law will still further
augment the lack Of housing facili-
ties"
The question of the cost of financing
home buying and building was one Of
the storm centers of the committees
work throughout the inquiry. The re-
port of the committee on this subject
is. in substance, that the cost of financ-
ing is no different in Washington from
other large cities. Here is what the
committee will tell the Commissioners
with regard to finance:
10000 Improperly Housed.
There are 10000 people. including
the alley dwellers, in Washington at this
time who are improperly housed. 1t
will require at least 5000 new habita-
tions, allowing five people to each house,
to house these people. To determine the
cost Of these new homes is beyond our
power Any estimate we might submit
would be Of no value.
I'VE have also Investigated and ascer-
tanned the cost of money in Washington
and elsewhere, with the following re-
suits:
THE rate Of interest prevailing in the
District of Columbia on first mortgage
loans is s and Z per cent, with l per
cent commission on brokerage, except
in case of building loans where the
brokerage is per cent. We believe that
there is an abundance of money in
Washington tyr first mortgage loans