The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-22

authority which expired April lst, last has enabled nearly 23,000 home owners and small business men to repair or, modernize their property at e cost of nearly $l0,000,000.
 Under the continuing provisions of the National Housing Act nearly two thousand families in Connecti- cut are bsing helped to acquire their own homes through the in- sured mortgage program, represent- ing an outlay of nearly 9o000,000.
 Ninety-seven Connecticut banks and private lending institutions have participated in the T. II. A. pro- gram.
 When the Housing administra- ton began operations, residential construction In America was at e low ebb. During 1884 only about 50,000 urban and suburban homes were built in the entire United States, Last year (l9SG more than Ave times that number were con- structed, The widespread distrihu- ton of benefits of the F. II. A. sys- tme may be seen In the fact that approximately 60 per cent of the mortgages insured on new homes are in small cities and towns where, heretofor, 1t has been exceedingly difficult and expensive to obtain mortgage money.
 Standards Improved
 By improving standards and con- ditions and creating Q sound mort- gage market, the Federal Housing Administration has encouraged i'm. provement In private enterprises so that home financing funds, which had almost vanished from the mar ket when the Y. II, A. started op- erations, are now generally avail able on fairer terms than ever be- fore in the history of tho country. The acquisition Of 0 home has been made easier and safer for the fam fly of moderate means. Over half the families buying homes under the r. II, A. plan have incomes of $2600 or less. Most of these are purchasing their homes by payments of $26,00 Q month or less. Nine out of ten of all new home owners un- der the r. H. A. plan are using less than one-iifth of their income to meet the monthly payments on their homes.
 In twenty-eight towns and @ties of Connecticut surveyed in 1883 the total new residential construction approximated $4,000,0o0, as com- pared with Q total new residential construction of nearly $i3,000,00o in 1886. In other words, new home construction was more than three times as great in 1886 as in 1883. Now non-residential construction projects were twice as large, and the number of families benefiting by new homes had more than dou- bled.
 Low Cost Housing
 However gratihed we may be with these results, tho President and the Congress realize that these home-buiiding Improvements have applied to c large measure to indi- viduals who had at, least some means of financing the first costs of construction or improvement, and an income sufficient to maintain the home once 1t was obtained. There still remains to Do taken care of that large group of people who are ill-housed and do not have the means of paying the initial costs of c new home, nor do they have suf- hcient income to maintain Q desir- able home or to pay rent for quar- terS adequate to meet their require- n1entS under decent living stand. ards. It Is to help this group that the administration recently author ized by act of Congress Q federal housing authority to stimulate the construction of loW.coSt housing and slum clearance projects throughout the United States. The Rural Resettlement Administration Of the Department of Agriculture and the previously established Housing Division of the P. W. A., al. ready has made successful advances in the low-cost housing field. Some mistakes were made in this new venture, but from these experiences has emerged c law which should lift from the slurns the people who are entitled to better living condi- tons, and place them into better living quarters.
 State to Benefit
 Connecticut, as e large industrial center, with Q deep concentration of labor, will benefit inmeasurably by these projects. One low-cost housing project inaugurated under the P. W. A. Housing Division, has already been opened at Stamford, As soon as the new housing author ity Is established I expect approv- al of 0 federal 94,00O,00O low-cost housing program for Bridgeport which will improve living standards in @ large area there. The provi- sion in this law that local commu- mites shall pay Q small portion Of the cost of such projects is for the purpose of encouraging local ili- tiative. The obligations of such participation will be far outweight- ed by the benefits derived by the community where such projects are undertaken.
 Nothing that the federal govern ment has done since 1883 has im- proved the morale of the people more than the housing and con- struction program to which I have referred. The comforts of a home are desired by all individuals. Elm ployment, of course, is the major necessity. but the stability and hap piness of our people and of our nation rests in the contentinent and confidence and the objectives stim- ulated by living in a comfortable home among Cnes friends.
 EEumanitarianism
 Is it any wonder then that we know and love our President for