Evening star., 1923-08-11
SEES CONTINUED
j HOUSE SHORTAGE
CAfritz Believes Condition
:WiII Not Be AIIeviated for
Several Years.

Home production in the District of
Columbia is below normal, according
to Morris Cafritz of the Morris Cafritz
Company. Inc.
*In my opinion" Mr.. Cafritz said
in a statement, the home situation
is still below normal. In a city of
practically a half million people, If
there is a demand for only l per cent
VT the heads of families for homes 1t
would require, on basis of four peo-
Pile to family, practically the produc-
tion of 1850 new homes. One per
cent annually may seem to be very
small, but even this need has not
been supplied in the last few years.
and the accumulated surplus of heads
homes is still somewhat above normal.
THE cry of the high cost of build
ing has been heard in this city for
several years" his statement con-
unued. The continual prediction that
prrces of labor and material are
bound to come down and there would
he "a resultant shrinkage in the value
of new homes now being erected is
not borne out by the facts in the case.
This is, to my mind. absolutely un-
justified, and there is no better proof
being given daily than the fact that
the mechanics who put their work
intb these homes are buying back
their labor. knowing Wen that there
can be no appreclable reduction In
the price of labor and material for
many years to come, if ever. The his
tory of the labor and material situ-
alton in the United States in years
gone by has shown that our mechanic
class have steadily bettered their con-
dttions as to wages and home sur
roundings. In years gone by 1t was
quite rare thing to have the car
pepter, bricklayer and mechanics in
sllltother trades do anything else but
pay rent. Today large percentage
of them own their homes and take
great pride in keeping them in the
very best condition.
Sees Shortage for Years.
FIf a survey We're made OF the build
Ing operations of the District 1t
would he very easy to ascertain that.
on "a basis of 1850 homes per annum
needed for the families who have lost
their taste for apartment house liv-
ing and who naturally desire to have
homes of their own. less than one
half this number of houses have been
produced in any one recent year.
Il do not believe that if all of the
-
carried out for the District of Column
bia that for the next three to five
years the actual shortaa;e could be
covered.
The experience of the last ten years
has shown that many, many families
become dissatisfied with renting
homes in any form. and therefore
they are willing and ready to buy
properties in districts not quite so
fashionable as where they have been
living in order that they may have
hopes of their own.
Families Smaller Here.
.As an actual fact. in the ma
Jorty of the cities of the United
States of 5000 population or over
the average family consists. of from
four to five persons. BY reason of
government conditions in Washing
ton the average number of persons per
family is considerably less, therefore
increasing the ratio of the number
of heads of families to the population.
'it was demonstrated during the
war period that If the home buyers
of w ashington had not been induced
to purchase homes on the installment
plan thousands and thousands of the
permanent residents of Washington
would have been out on the street
when the unparalleled demand came
for houses al any price, the purchas-
ers' being persons of practically un-
limited means"