Evening star., 1938-11-10
Straus Makes Plea
For Forgotten Man .
In nHousing
Calls on Realtors
To Aid $l,100-$l,750
Income Group
BY JAMES v. NEWTON,

by JAMES v. NEW1ON,
Star Real Estate Editor.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, Nov. 10.-The
great challenge to private building
industry today is to provide housing
for that third of all urban families
in the country who cannot be served
by public programs and have so far
been neglected by private initiative,
Nathan Straus, administrator of the
United States Housing Authority,
told members of the National Asso-
citation of Real Estate Boards in
convention here today.
Mr.. Straus explained that except
In rare instances the housing to be
provided by his department will be
for those families whose annual in
comes are under s1,l00. So far pri-
vate initiative has been unable to
build houses for families whose in
come falls below $l,750 annually.
Within this ''no-man's land" he
continued, resides the real forgot
ten man" of today's housing policies.
A third of all urban families comes
within these income limitations and
private building industry must find
a way to serve this large group of
the population, he said.
Denies Extravaganza.
The housing head denied the
popular belief that public housing
costs more than private, that 1t is
extravagant. Initial contracts let to
private contractors under the au-
thority's administration show per-
unit cost somewhat less than the
average cost of privately spon-
sored project of the same quality, he
said, this being accomplished al
though craftsmen on public jobs are
paid prevailing wage scales. He
gave figures designed to show that
public housing is not in competition
with private initiative. The charge,
often made, Is serious one, and one
that is without foundation in fact,
he added.
Cooperative action between pri-
vate property owners, mortgage
holders and Government agencies,
municipal and national, for re-
rehabilitation of blighted areas Of
American cities and to prevent the
spread of blight, was called for by
Donald H. McNeal of Washington,
deputy general manager of H. o. L.
c. The Importance of such a pro-
gram to the economic life of our
cities was also stressed yesterday by
Joseph w. Catharine, president Of
the national association.
Denies Moratorium Need.
There is no need for moratorium
for H. o. L. C. borrowers, Harold
Lee of Washington, another cor
poration official, assured realtors in
his address today. He pointed out
in substantiation of this the rapidly
declining foreclosure rate on the
properties against which the cor
poration holds mortgages, the "ex-
cellent collections" on it's loans and
rapid sale" of its acquired proper
ties.
Charles j. Rush, executive secre-
tary of the Washington Real Estate
Board, today presented to President
Catharine a gavel made from an
old timber of the White House as a
token of appreciation for serv-
ices rendered the national asso-
citation during the year. Mr.. Rush
also presided at the annual meet
ing of the Realtors Secretaries
Council, Of which he is chair
man. Victor N. Fleming of the F. H.
A. and Stanley T. Grassland. Fed
eral National Mortgage Association,
both of Washington, were to make
addresses late today.
A feature of the second day con-
vention program was talk by Julius
P. He'll, who defeated Philip La Fol-
lette in Wisconsins gubernatorial
race Tuesday.