Evening star., 1933-09-16
HOUSE SHORTAGE
HERE E|SF0RECAST
Return of Employment and
Absorption of New Homes,
Cited by Realtors.

A housing shortage within the near
future is foreseen by the washington
Real Estate Board with the absorption
of new homes erected during the last
two and half years.
Figures compiled by the board, ac-
cording to H. Clifford Bangs. its pres
ident. show that permits issued by the
District building inspector for 1881
covered the construction of 1,401 sin
gle-family dwellings. During 1882 con-
struction of 919 single-family dwell
six months of 1888. permits issued to-
tailed 236. making a total of 1856
homes built since January /, 1881.
Not All Built to Sell.
In analyzing these figures the Real
Estate Board points out that not all
of the homes covered in the building
permits were erected for sales pur-
poses as many of the permits were
issued in the names of the owners of
private properties not connected with
the real estate business. Although the
activities of commercial home builders
have not been as great the last year
or two. still this group has constructed
2.O96 homes which have been designed.
financed and erected in anticipation
of actual sales.
Since January l, 1888, the building
inspector issued permits for the erec-
ton of 236 one-family homes. Builder
members of the Washington Real Es-
home builders in the District of
Columbia constructed 162 of these
homes During the same period deeds
recorded show that 256 new homes
were sold. These figures do not include
any of the old houses covered in the
4,470 instruments recorded up to June
80 Members of the board are report
ing a steady inquiry for homes and
numerous sales. With the approval of
codes for various business and trade
groups by the National Recovery Ad-
ministration and the expected increases
in material and labor costs as natural
result of adoption of codes for the real
estate business, home builders are hesi-
tant in making any prediction as to
what the cost of new homes will be
when the codes are in full operation.
Employment Is Need.
DR.. James S. Taylor of the Division
of Housing, United States Department
of Commerce, recently completed sur
vey of housing conditions and stated
that although vacant houses and apart
ments are in considerable evidence in
most cities it appears that return OF
reasonably active employment would
fill them up.
Due to the increased activities of the
Federal Government, the National Re-
covery Administration. the Agricultural
Adjustment Administration and the
Public Works Administration. and the
general District Public Works program,
for which several million dollars have
been allocated, the employment situa-
ton is gradually being relieved here,
the board points out. The expansion
of the Public Works Administration is
reported to necessitate the employment
of approximately 1000 new employees.
National trade groups coming under
the National Recovery Administration
through the adoption of codes OF fair
practice must of necessity be located
in the Capital to carry out and inter-
pref the provisions of their respective
codes for the benefit Of their assocla-
tions. All of these factors tend to
show that a shortage of housing! is
imminent in the District of Columbia.