Evening star., 1935-12-07
100 PCT. BUILDING
! RISE SEEN IN 1886
Need for New Dwellings Is
Revealed by Housing
Council Head.

housing for the monCnS just aIleau 70
described by Walter S. Schmidt OF
cincinnati, president of the National
Association of Real Estate Boards, In
the current issue Of the Journal OF
Land and Public Utility Economics,
published by Northwestern University.
Schmidt, who brings data from
many sources, salted by experience, 10
give the answer, points out that it
must be predicated on removal OF un-
certainty about direct Federal building
and entrance of the Federal Govern
Srnent as a landlord at uneconomlc
rents to demoralize market supply ana
demand. He declares that action OF
the Federal agencies may be SO ad-
sjusted as to avoid this unnecessary
fear.
1 Meantime, Russell G. Creviston,
sChicaeo, chairman of the newly Or
lranized Manufacturers Housing Dis
play Council, in a recent address also
weighs current data, not only on
housing, but on commercial ana m
tdustrial building outlook.
: 100 Per Cent Increase Due in 1885.
To give first MIR. Crevistons esti-
inate:
approximately 10000 dwelling
units were built in 1894. about 10000
ARE being built in 1885, and there
sshould be about 100 per cent m
screase in 1886. Even today, with our
30 per cent increase over last year, we
&C not very much above the irreduct-
hle minimum of residential building.
Commercial building is so far put =
sper cent ahead of last year. Even
Though industrial building now Is some
20 per cent behind 1888, next year
ishould see 1t rise at least 70 ~ per
,cent ahead Of 1885. Total building,
residential and non-residential. in 1885
will be fully 54 per cent ahead OF
1885"
As tn new home building he aoos
with an average family income OF
:under $4,000 how can there De q
market of the tremendous posSlnih-
ties outlined? Average family IN
comes have never appeared to De
large but it is surprising how mucn
this average family can save wnen
n wants to. Our record as people
has demonstrated that seemingly 10"
income averages do not stand In Ine
way of improved home owning
THE modern trend offers an entirely
new Interpretation of what dwell
ing nlace should be- 1t offers ne"
conception of design, of use OF space
.of necessary equipment and flts IN
with the spirit and mode OF the Amer
dean people With our better con-
scention of the market and with our
improvements in building and equip
sy,ent we should be able to meet a
greater proportion of the real needs
FOR a higher standard Of living tnan
ever before"
s Important Elements Seen.
Mr.. Schmidt discusses the normal
-expectation for housing and the OUT
look for private enterprise. aided as
AZ can be by completing the work OF
mortgage sterilization, limiting gov
ernmental building to some definite
governmental program in place OF the
nresent uncertainties as to Govern
1nent entrance as landlord. He sees
the following as important elements
of the whole question:
l. That there has come deflnte
swing back to the single family mouse
since 1880 the major portion OF con-
struction has been of the Single-fan1-
siIv tvne. CWhereas from 1900 to lS2O
.oartnnent house construction was on
the increase as compared to one ano
two family dwellings)
2. The apartment building, as ordi-
narily considered, houses but neg
lieible portion of our families, PROB
ably between and 10 per cent ne
estimates.
3. AS a people we accept as prima-
facie that he who desires new home
must purchase it. There Is prac-
ticaIly no building to rent IN the
single family field.
4, Thus has been sustained and
stimulated the distinctive American
ideal Of home ownership.
Not Confined to Wealthy.
s. The desire is not confined to the
weather. class. Department Of Com
rnerce figures, taken in So cities, show
$l.47s as the average income OF the
American home owner in 1888.
On the other hand, ne says:
&Rentals of the lower-income group,
who occupy usually the Oldest OF
the residential structures Of the COM
munity, vary with the city and the
location in it from $3.50 to $5 per
room, whereas the limited dividend
corporations in New York City, al
though granted concessions in taxes
and other items, and although all are
charging the allowed maximum OF
$I2 per month per room, still are
earning no fair return. They can
hardly be said to be serving the
low-wage group when 100000 fam
lilies in that metropolis are paying
So or less per room. Not today, nor
for IS years, has it been possible to
build for the low-wage group at any
rent that group can afford to pay,
whether the improvement Is con-
structed well or ILL.,"
Mr.. Schmidt sees the expected surge
upward Of the stable and saving mid
die class into new homes, the release
thus of uEd housing of somewhat
better class for the occupancy Of those
below and the elimination of the
worst Of the tenements now in use