Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-01-08
ARCHITECTS MAP
HIGH COST DRIVE
Institute Aims to Remove
Barriers Which Have
Closed Vast Market.

The American Institute of Archi-
tects, through its Housing Committee,
OF which Walter r. Mccormack Of
Cleveland is chairman, has adopted
q 1898 program which aims, with CO.
operation of other groups in the build
ing industry, Ito solve the problem of
the low-cost home by removing the
barriers which have closed vast
market" The magnitude of the task
makes Government subsidy "out of
the question:" Mr.. Mccormack de-
clares.
Studies by the institute discloses
that serious housing shortage seems
imminent. Substantial progress to-
ward relieving this situation during
the present year is not assured, &C.
cording to Mr.. Mccormack. who out
lines the steps that must be taken
before real start can be made.
There must be radical reduction
in all charges and COSTS" he says.
THE following points of attack will
not be harmful to any group or in
dividual, but will bestow upon them
fair profits and indirect benefits due
to the larger number of people who
will be living in decent homes:
Revision of Codes.
There should be revision of
building codes, elimination of price
fixing at exorbitant levels, outlawing
OF jurisdictional disputes, cleaning
the racketeers out of industry, the
permission to use new methods of
construction which will reduce costs.
elimination Of unnecessary middle
men, purchase Of land at its use value,
revision Of taxation methods and
lowering the interest rates"
The problem will not be solved bv
one element in the building industry
accusing the other of holding costs
up, but by all Of them cooperating
toward q common end-that of enter
ing market now closed against it,
Mr.. Mccormack asserts.
The American Institute of Archi-
tects Is striving to secure for the
small home owner proper plans and
specifications, with supervision, for a
price he can afford to pay" he con-
tinues. All the architects ask is that
other elements in the building in
dustry join them in mass attack
on condition which means so much
to this country.
Signs Hopeful.
the fact that serious housing
shortage seems imminent is hopeful
for the building industry, since so
many other types of construction are
not needed at the present time as a
result of previous over building in
other fields, Mr.. Mccormack points
out
In spite of the shortage in housing
and the very obvious need for re-
building or replanning the slum areas
OF many OF our cities, there has not
been any considerable amount of
housing done, and the prospect of any
considerable amount this year is not
assured. When a shortage of hous-
ing Is announced the man in the
street assumes that all kinds of hous-
Ing will be involved in the work to be
done.
Until recently there has not been
available any very reliable data on
just what the market Is and what
class OF people will occupy the houses
needed. The National Housing Com
mittee recently released q report en-
titled The Housing Market which
clearly sets forth the market limita-
tiOnS These 1inojfa tione ora q nm nno
dwelling units for families unable to
pay more than $50 per month rent
and with 70 per cent Of the number
unable to pay more than $25 per
month rent.
Limit Is $4,000.
Translated into capital cost, in
GLIDING land, landscaping and Incl
dental charges, this means 1000. 600
dwelling units carrying a construction