The New York herald., 1922-01-08


IRON report OF a survey made bv
inc BuiIdlng Employers Association on
december 10. 1921. IL appears that new
oul4uirss under construction on thaA
ua'e would accommodate 25.e5s faui
lies, which represented less than ono
'ial OF the accommodations for which
plans were filed In 1921.
increase Was About 800 Per Cent.
From a careful analysis OF the Dodrs
building reports, II appears, on Decenn.
Ger 10, 1921, that the estimated cost q,
contemplated work for dwelling pur.
poses IN New York. reported but not
Yet started, was S95.119,45O. From these
reports 1t would seem that the ne.
cweiling construction for 1921 was 30a
Ter cent. more than the value of plans
iiied Tor the sane period in 1920. IL
would also appear from plans filed tha,
the builders were ready 70 proceed with
construction work for an amount eouai
TO the entire 1921 program.
Actual construction during the Iad
year and the large amount of plans
FILED ready for this year should be
rather substantial evidence to those who
advocated the tax exemption law that II
mas had beneficial effect on new
housing.
The important question that confronts
the builders who have filed plans arJ
who expect 20 start construction as soou
as the weather will permit Is:
Can the work proceed in tirrc 10 com,
under the provision OF the tax excnl,
tion law. which requires that actua'
construction shall be started prior "a
April l. 1929? According TO the report,
from the tax and the building depart.
ments this means actual founda,io,
work for each building to be erected.
This important question affects new
buildings. representing $4,000 600 o,
more. 70 provide for $4,000 families
This is a matter that should have The
immediate attention OF the Legislaturs
when II convenes. TO insure the construc.
tion OF buildings for which plans havs
been filed. The tax exemption law
should be extended at least until Nover
Der this year.
Delays Held Back Builders.
when the law was enacted no doub,
u was assumed that reasonable time
was provided In the oct 70 get new
buildings started prior to April I. 1929
but the ordinance was not adopted bv
the city OF New York until last Feb
-uary. Several months Of valuable time
elapsed. due 60 long and heated discus
NlOnS, DeIoTc tue tfnuTu or Aldermen
finally took favorable action. In tho
Meantime the builders could not proceed
with any definite assurance that the
ordinance would be adopted BY the city
~ New York 10 provide for tax exemp-
ton
This law was provided TO offset. g.
some extent. the effect Of the emergency
rent laws. Some inducenent was re-
1uircd under the existing conditions 90
provide more housing. In the meantime
the rent laws protected the man in pos
session.
If there was any justification for tho
existing emergency rent laws there was
the same justification for the tax ex-
empton law II there Is excuse Tor ono
there Is need for the other. Tho exemp-
ton should continue with the rent laws
n one is reeuacted the other should be-
But. IN any event, the exemption should
Hc continued 10 November /. 1899. 80 "a
20 insure that new dwellings will be
constructed TO- which plans have al
ready been filed as OF December 10
1921. which amounted 20 100000.