Evening star., 1934-09-02
Survey of Dwellings
Occupied by Owners
BIZ HARDEN CoLFAx.

Just a little short Of 40 per cent OF
the more than 100000 dwellings re-
Gently surveyed by the Department OF
Commerce-primarily as an aid to
construction activities-are owned BY
those who live in them. OF all the
occupied dwelling units considered
almost 81 per cent are free Of all en-
cumbrances, while ASS per cent are
mortgaged.
The survey, called the "real property
inventory" was made in 81 specially
selected cities. It revealed the fact
that, Of the 2,314,000 dwelling units
about which the department inquired
$4,000 are owned by those who oc-
cupy them.
The t-North- Central States had
the greatest number of so-called own
er-occupied dwelling units. OF these
some $4,000 were free Of all incum-
brance, while 5000 were mortgaged
In the Pacific States group. the next
best showing was found, with an al
most equal division between the num-
Der Of units free Of incumbrance and
those mortgaged. In the South At
lantic States there was also an almost
equal division. In New England, on
the other hand, the largest percentage
Of the dwelling survey Is reported as
mortgaged. For this division the re-
ports have not been so complete. In
fact the department says an exact pic
ture Of the situation in New England
cannot be had as yet.
OF all the "owner-occupied" dwell
ing units investigated by the depart
ment, more than $4,000 are reported
to be free of all membranes, some
415,000 mortgaged, with the condition
of the remaining 144,000 "as yet un-
known" The survey would seem to
indicate that, of those units for which
the condition was reported, some 46
per cent were unincumbered in any
way and 81 per cent mortgaged to
some extent.
*&
This information is being made
available as rapidly as may be to the
various Federal agencies which are
now working on our national housing
problem, not only those interested in
the physical construction of homes,
but others which are planned to help
the home owner in his financial Diff
culties. These include the Federal
Home Loan Bank Board, the Home
Owners Loan Corporation, the Farm
Credit Administration, the Housing
Division Of the Public Works Ad-
ministration, the new Federal Hous-
ing Administration and other units
Of the Departments OF Agriculture
and Commerce.
The figures brought out by this emu
meration make interesting comparison
with the situation reported concerning
farm mortgages In various parts of the
country. While the latter has been In
its acute phase, the mortgage situation
In the cities has also been a factor in
the problem facing the administra-
tons plans to relieve the financial
pressure on home owners. Under the
rules Of the Federal Housing Admin
istration, as announced last week by
Administrator James A. Moffett, more
than $4,000 financial institutions
throughout the country have been ap-
proved for the purposes of the program
of the F. H. A. OF these institutions,
more than IL 900 have now signed con-
tracts with the r. H. A. for making
loans on the stipulated terms, which
do not constitute mortgages in the or
dinary sense of the word. They may
actually be merely loans on the bor-
rower's personal notes. Finally these
F. H. A. loans are intended primarily
for home owners who have regular
incomes and whose properties are not
incumbered by unpaid taxes or mort
gage interests.
Another phase Of the Governments
inquiries now is being carried out,
having for It's object 10 learn the char
acter and origin Of these mortgage OBJ