Evening star., 1922-04-15
ASK KTAXEXEMPT PT|oN
TO GIVE STIMULUS
TOHOME BUILDING
Urged as Remedy for Short
age at Public Hearing
on Housing.
DISTRICT LAND QUESTION
Is BROADLY DISCUSSED
Many Vacant Lots Are Pointed
Out Upon Which Property
Could Be Built.

Exemption of new homes from taxa
1ion for number of years as a means
of stimulating the erection of houses
speakers at the opening of the public
hearing on housing in the boardroom
Of the District building today.
l.. w. Oyster, formerly in the Dis
fious states. They conclude their
The government would stop filming"
people in the form of taxation for
putting improvements on vacant land
I'VE would get the houses we need to
relieve the shortage"
The hearing opened with discus
sion of the land question, led by Will
liam Deane Ham. chairman of the sub
committee on the subject. When the
noon recess was taken the meeting
was discussing the building material
situation.
Heavy Mortgages Carried.
Mr.. Ham, in reporting for the land
committee. asserted that there are
1aany large tracts of vacant land in the
District. some of which are mortgaged
q !most up to their present value. Max
ing of loans on idle land in the Dis
trict is holding back building activities.
Mr.. Ham contended.
The chairman OF the subcommi, "
on land further declared that lots Z"
these undeveloped tracts were 81. =
Years ago at high pr ices In antic'
patton of what they are worth toda.
Later in the hearing IL was testi-
fled that he paid $4,000 for two lots
in the northwest nineteen years ago
and today he is only offered 3i,so0
for them. Mr.. Ham said this Illus
Sees Lower Value.
Mrs. ELI Helmick. chairman Of the
Commissioners housing committee,
interposed to express the belief that
no doubt vacant lots are being sold
today at prices which the property
viii not be worth for many years to
come.
A. ]. Driscoll, president OF the Mid
City Citizens Association, told the
committee there are 53t-vacant huifri-
ing lots in the territory OF his ASSOC
citation. bounded by New Jersey ave.
nue., 10th street, G street and Florida
avenue. He voiced the opinion that
builders could get as good return
from the erection of homes on these
1otS IN tne center OF tne city as tney
from new suburban homes.
W. l. Swanton of the Columbia
Heights Citizens Association, con-
Cured in the suggestion of Mr.. Oyster
that new improvements be exempted
from taxation as means of en-
couraging the erection of homes.
Gathering Price Data.
DR.. John NJ Cries of the Depart
N, ont of Cnm.oarca-on1 ch,;-ro- -
the subcommittee on building mate
rials. announced that his committee
is gathering data as to the prices of
building supplies here and in fifty
other cities as of 1913, the peak
reached in the spring of 1920 and at
the present time.
The discussion of building prices
which followed the announcement of
DIR. Cries all emphasized the part
which high freight rates play in the
present cost of home building.
John Donlin, representing organ
ized labor, and several others en-
gagged in lengthy discussion of the
cost of steel
Little Steel Used.
Harry Blake, connected with
large steel fabricating concern and
building supply house in Washing
ton, brought this discussion to an
end when he called attention to the
fact that only about $35 worth of
steel enters into the construction of
the average home and, therefore, 1t
was useless to waste time discussing
the national aspects of the steel sit
uation.
Mr.. Blake declared a more impor-
tant situation to take up is the fact
that there is shortage in the brick
supply in Washington at the present
time. He said he knew of one firm
that had untitled orders for ten mil
lion brick.
The hearing will continue until S
o'clock this afternoon, during which
time several other phases of tha
housing situation will be taken up.