The Washington herald., 1922-07-07
HOUSING BODY ASKS
ALLEY CLOSING BE
DEFERRED z YEARS
Final Report Is Adopted
At Conclusion of
So Stormy Session.
HAM LOSES FIGHT
Waldron Charges Document
Does Not Present
The Truth"

Continued From Page One.
skilled labor becomes more abun-
dant."
The gloomy view of the preface
is reflected IL the summary at the
end OF the report There are six
main points: u) That high-priced
homes are not scarce; (2) that first
mortgages are not eXcessive; CD
that there Is a shortage in moder-
ately-priced houses; 90 that hign
prices OF material and labor have
contributed to shortage and high
rents; (5D that high sale prices have
laduced doubtful secord and third
raortgages at high rates. the dis
counting of which has been respon-
: sIble- for many OF the reports of
profteering:" (6) that any early
elimination of alley dwellers from
their homes under the preseLt law
viii stflI further augment the lack
OF housing facilities"
Tn. committee found that the
folloving measures along the line
Of construction practises would af-
ford housing relief:
/. Modification of the present
regulations affecting the CONVEX
don of a dwelling into a three
story or four-story apartment
building.
2. Development of an apprentice
system among the building and
trade unions.
g. Adoption of the Department of
commerce standard grading rules
for lumber
4. Adoption of a liberal uniform
building code with safe and serv-
ieeable construction.
S. Greater use of the architects
small house service, controlled by
the American Institute of Archi-
tects
10000 improperly Housed.
The finance report follows closely
that adopted by the new subcom-
rnittee on finance several weeks ago.
The committee finds that there are
$4,000 people improperly housed at
the present time. requiring at least
5000 new habitations.
The report states that the home
builder with sufficient knowledge
of the situation to enable him to act
intelIigently can procure suitable
loans for home building at fair
rates. The following quotation in
dicates that they found extortionate
charges had been made.
Your committee believes that In
many cases exhorbitant rates OF in
terest, bonuses and commissions
have been charged"
The committee found that the
present high rents were caused by
an abnormal shortage in houses.
the greatly increased market value
Of real estate caused by the great
demand. and the high cost of labor
and material
Shortage Pointed Out.
The report is detailed under the
following headings: Housing Sur
vey. Land. Building Materials, La
bor. Construction Practices, FL
nance and Rent, and Rent Legisla-
tion-
There is a serious shortage Of
dwellings of all grades. estimated
to nearly two years normal output
The number of vacant houses and
apartments in the district at thu
present is quite inadequate to meet
the need
People Of small incomes. partic-
ularly the wage earning negro pop.
ulation. are in especial need of
homes. the report indicates. 1t adj
mits the evils of alleys and favors
their abolishment as early as prac-
ticable. but declares that the clos
ing of alley houses now would re-
Il l.
tions along the streets. 1t was this
consideration that led to the rec
ommendation that enforcement OF
the law closing alleys be postponed
for two yeara
The subcommittee on housing rec
commended that a new committee
be appointed to study the alley situ-
alton only. and with adequate au-
thority and funds to act. 1t fur
rher hoped that this committee
would find way to close the alleys
gradually. allowing for a natural
redistribution of population.
In regard TO land the committee
found: There is an acreage of va
cant land in the District ample not
only for present needs. but for tn
needs Of future rapid increase in
population. The tendency Of owE-
ers of large tracts to hold their land
for speculative purposes does have
tendency to create lack of need
ed and suitable housing facilities"
Findings on Materials,
In its findings on building mate
rials the committee notes that the
Department of Labor reported a 40
per cent decrease in prices of build
ing materials from the average for
1920. The following extracts are
taken from the report:
This reduction does not appear
To have been passed on to the bona
hde purchasers of homes In Wash
inGton."