Evening star., 1930-12-13
BUILDING DECLINE
BARS OVERSUPPLY
Survey Notes Reduction in
Construction of Homes
In Capital.

(Ccntinued From First Page.l
Including Georgetown (section b, show
9 great decline In population. The
1880 census enumerates 23,757 fewer
iTahabitants In this settled area, where
the overcrowded condition Of 1920 has
been relieved. There has, however,
been considerable new construction,
consisting principally Of apartment
houses and hotels, to take care OF q
transient population not shown IN the
ceAsus figures. A comparison. mere ;.
fore, Of population and housing, which
demands settled conditions, may not be
fair in this section. Also q demolition
of cid dwellings has taken place here TO
q far greater extent than in the otner
sections.
.AnacOstia Gains s.S16.
"This decline of 33,757 in the down
AyNn section means that the outlying
re6identiAl districts have increased by
1885. OF these 1876 are found IN
Arlacostia. The large distances in this
spArsely populated section present
housing problems so different from the
districts west Of the Anacostia River
that the 1900 dwellings and "a apart
rAents may not be an excessive increase:
sHThe remainder of the residential
portion of the District has, therefore,
seen an increase of 78,547 in popula-
tion. The new construction mas q
canacity of housing $4,000 family units
and in consequence would have q quota
Of 3.4 persons per unit.
"There Is no doubt but that part
Of the residential sections were over
r,dt,llAted in 1920 and that q surplus
SOUGHT homes in the new buildings; but
the comparison Of population and
hcusiag shows that an average tenacy
Of "a per family unit points to an
undue percentage Of vacancies ana 10
cvefbuilding.
"If census districts with the same
boundaries In 1920 and 1880 were
shewn on o map, and the changes IN
population and housing graphed, good
picture Of the present situation would
"fhe map would show that the Sec
tion between Rock Greek Park, Massa-
clausetts avenue and Wisconsin ave-
nue. (sectien C) has seen q balanced
relation Of population and housing m
efeaseA II o normal amount OF va
eaneies be maintained. -
'sThe section between Massachusetts
avenue, the Potomac River and George.
town (section D. shows an excess OF
building, or one home unit per 81
persons.
s'In the districts along Eastern ave-
nue. from Rock Greek Park to the Ana
costa River and north Of Concord
avenue, Rock Greek Church road, the
soldiers Home, Lincoln road, Florida
avenue and Benning road (sections
and p the balance Of housing to pop
ulation shows surplus OF housing SUCH
As may be expected IN q growing COM
Inunity.
Section Records Big Increase.
continuing south Of Benning road
between Twelfth street, Pennsylvania
avenue and the Anacostia River Is q
section (Section G) that has recorded
4 treat increase in building-1 800
hekaes, nearly all dwellings. The in
crease In population has only been
3,433, or l.8 persons per home unit, but
% this sxeese m CONSTRUCTION mas .
ssrb IL the resulting vacancies may be
GnaaileT thAn would be the case when
the increase in population constitutes
q large pereentage Of the total.
Between this yectfOn and the North
and South -Canitol streets (section ID
the Population mas decreased BY l,Tl1,'
Dwellings. notwithstanding have been
erected to the number of 600 and
apartment units 900; the total popula-
ton, 63,607, is, however, so large that
this seeming excess building Is un-
doubtedly absorbed.
The narrow section north of Florida
avenue, between Rock Greek Park and
Soldiers Home and south Of Concord
avenue, presents . puzzhng picture.
The southwest part (section ID, bounded
hy Florida. avenue, Rock Greek, Colum-
biz road and Fourteenth street, has
added 200 dwellings TO the l,700 exist
tng In 1920 and 5000 apartment units
% the $500 existing &C that date.
Meanwhile the population increased BY
1.e43, or 10 per cent Of the 1880 total
(1e,792), which gives one home unit to
each AZ Of the residents. or one to every
Stx-tenths Of the population increase.
Obviously this overbuilding causes va
cancies among old and new buildings
and the competition between very re-
cent and "antiquated" (many less than
10 years ODD apartments may have
drawn on the tenants TO districts which
o6er more generous yard space and
parking facilities.
This suspicion Is strengthened II one
looks at the district east Of Fourteenth
street (section K), where $50 apart
ment units were provided while the
population decreased by 9e7.
The district north Of these and south
OF Concord avenue district ID built
$500 apartment units and 500 dwell.
1nGB. The population increased by
3S.i1S (36 per cent Of the total), which
provided one home unit for each 2.s Of
the increase, which, in face Of the large
number Of new dwellings, shows an
cveTgupply Of the latter.
Data I'm Summary Form.
"A summary Of the foregoing data
win show:
u. A large exodus from the central.
eloaely enilt-up section Of the District.
The presence here Of many apart
ment houses and hotels to care for a
transient a. well Is resident pop,IIa-
ton. Demolition Of old dwellings has
BEEN confined almost exclusively to the
downtown section.
=. An apparent excess Of new hous-
nc construction In the populous dis
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