Evening star., 1934-09-20
WORK ON MILLION
HOMES TO START
Moffett Says Housing Plans
Cover 5000 Communities
by Thanksgiving.

The Federal Housing Administra-
ton will begin releasing funds No.
vember l for construction of at least
1000, 600 new homes over the country,
James A. Moffett, administrator, said
last night in a Nationwide radio
broadcast.
Organization work for the "1000,-
900 or more homes this country actu-
ally needs" Moffett said, lis progress
ing with all the speed consistent with
safety and efficiency"
At the same time, he declared, more
than 1000 communities have set up
or are setting up committees to direct
locally the home modernization and
repair phase of the F. H. A. program.
BY Thanksgiving, he predicted, more
than 5000 communities will have es-
tablished such committees.
$1,000, 900 a Day Loans.
From field reports, the F. H. A. es-
Inmates that home modernization loans
Of 81 ,000, 900 a day are being made by
the 1000 lending institutions COOP
Grating under the plan, "and from
experience in past modernization cam
paigns," Moffett added, I'VE are sure
that double that amount OF cash busi-
ness Is being done"
The modernization program has
been under way a little more than
month. Washington's committee, un-
der the direction of Thomas P. Little
page, will begin functioning on an
intensive house to- house canvass in
an effort to sell the idea of moderniza-
ton within a short time. 1t is
planned that Washingtons campaign
shall serve as model for the entlre
Nation
It will be the purpose of the Wash
ington Committee, as of committees
over the country, to stimulate interest
in property repair, thereby putting tc
work thousands of unemployed men
in the building trades and aiding busi-
ness in general.
Further Building Activity.
The second phase Of the program
which Moffett said last night will be
ready to function by November l, con-
templates further building activity
this time in the new construction field
and under it the F. H. A. will guaran-
tee mortgages given for constructor
of new homes.
I'm this plan for construction o1
entirely new homes" he said, I'VE are
venturing into an unexplored flnan-
cial field. Therefore, our rules and
regulations must be drawn with great
care and caution.
In connection with our work,
have contacted the country's indus
trial and business leaders utility anC
railroad executives. Manufacturers o.
all kinds of materials and supplies
representatives of labor, the press anc
advertising agencies I have yet
to meet one Of them who does moi
feel the most intense enthusiasm ovel
the enormous volume of potential bust
ness and employment that will bt
opened up when the administration oI
all the provisions of the national hous.
ing act is in full swing"
To Discuss Stimulation.
Further steps to stimulate private
construction in order to aid the dur.
able goods industries were to be ths
chief topic of discussion today at tn,
meeting of Secretary of Conmerc,
Roper's Business Advisory and Plan
ming Council.
It is generally conceded that eco
nomic recovery will not be assured
until these industries start on tn,
upgrade, and commence to Absorb
some of the unemployed
This is the end toward which tn,
Housing Administration is striving
and 1t is to aid in attainment of thi
end that the Commerce Department
Committee may make some recon-
mendations.