Evening star., 1934-05-19
HOUSING REPORT
|SDUE NEXT WEEK
Senate Will Get by Wednes-
day Long Awaited Survey
of Living Conditions.
(Continued From First Page.)

Of gathering the housing information
for several months, declined to reveal
the contents of the report, which the
Senate requested of the Public Utili-
ties Commission, or to give definite
figures as to his findings.
But it Is definitely understood that
the P. U. c. will make specific recon-
mendations regarding the scarcity in
Washington of sanitary living quar-
tiers for the family financially able to
pay no more than $35 per month for
home or apartment While there are
still a number of apartments in the
$50 price range, it is contended that
the loW-salaried Government employe
and others who come within this
classification have been sadly neg
lected in the way of proper housing.
Scope OF Report Wide.
The report will touch every phase
of housing and will give for the first
time all the facts on the supply of
rental property in the city, its size
and price. 1t is part two of Mr..
Rings survey. The first section,
merely a preliminary study, was re-
leased January 80. The survey was
partly carried through as c. w. A.
project, with Mr.. Ring as manager
Of 518 persons engaged in the work.
OF this number, 425 we're actually
carrying on a door-to-door canvass.
One of the most important sections
of the survey was the detailed study
of alley dwellings and those sections
Of the city that may be regarded as
elun1s. While the alley situation has
been improved somewhat in recent
years, the commission will also have
definite recommendation to make to
the Senate designed to alleviate this
slum condition, which is regarded as
"crime breeding"
Families Double Up"
1t was difficult for the survey to
determine the exact need for housing
facilities in the upper price range be-
cause of a noticeable doubling up"
of families coming in this classifi-
cation in the recent years of depres-
sion, who ordinarily would occupy
separate quarters. 1t is believed that
when salaries are returned to nor
malcy shortage of better class
housing will result.
The investigation and study of
apartment houses and their vacancies
revealed, it was stated, that many of
the so-called temporary employees of
emergency Government departments
who have arrived within the past year
are now seeking houses. This group
of people absorbed the greater part
of the apartment vacancies when they
first arrived. Despite this fact, the
apartment houses are reported we'll
filled.
Real estate operators have reported
q great scarcity of houses for rent in
the District. This, they state, is at
tributed to the fact that the recent
additions to the Government per-
sonnel either intend to make Wash
ington only their temporary homes,
leaving with the end of the depres-
sion, or they are waiting to determine
the permanency of their positions be-
fore investing in houses.
Hartman Gives Figures.
Yesterday before the Senate Bank
ing Committee, Henry I. Hartman,
president, United States Chamber of
Commerce, in commencing the
Governments housing programs, esti-
mated that there is a room shortage
in the entire country of from 50,000,-
900 to 100000 units. He declared
that the per capita average is less
than a room for each person, and
added that a room and half for
each unit of population would not
be excessive He said there is enough
to be done in the way Of new con-
struction to furnish the Government
with 10-year plan.
Questioned as to local room short
age real estate business men ex-
planned that while it was undoubtedly
not so acute in Washington as else
where, there nevertheless is need of
residential expansion in the city. The
market for dwellings, they report, has
improved materially and there is a
possibility that the house shortage
may become acute.
The exact results of the survey and
study by Mr. Ring and his employees,
will be released for the public by
Wednesday, along with their recon-
mendations in regard to housing and
rent costs. 1t is anticipated that the
Senate will refer the report to its
District Committee for action.