Evening star., 1940-03-15
Rural Housing Loan
With $50 Maximum
Year Rent Approved
$2.522,ooo Fund to
Help Provide Quarters
For ] 800 Families
BY NELSON NJ. SHEPARD

Y
For ! 800 Families
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.
President Roosevelt today ap-
proved $2,522,000 In United States
Housing Authority loans for its first
strictly rural program in which 1900
farm tenants, sharecroppers and
other low-income families are to be
rehoused at rentals Of less than $50
year. &
The announcement of farm homes
to rent for less than 81 q week was
made at the White House by
Stephen Early Of the secretarial
staff.
I'm entering on this venture"
Mr.. Early said, 'the U. S. H. A. is
avoiding the fallacy Of building
houses limited to city homes. This
is'a small beginning in view of the
vast need, but it Is hoped and be-
lieved that from 1t will be developed
better way Of living for a large
share of the farm population"
Six widely scattered counties were
selected for these initial projects
which may be followed by $500 0O0,-
600 in loans for rural housing, pro-
vided the House approves pending
legislation. Newly created county
housing authorities will erect the
houses under the same regulations
pertaining to the urban program.
The counties and the number of
families to be rehoused in each are:
Lonoke County, Arkansas, 800
families; Thomas County, Georgia,
200; Alexander County, Illinois, $50;
Vigo County. Indiana, $50; Lee
County, Mississippi, 800, and Dar-
lington County, South Carolina, 200.
Each county authority will put up
10 per cent Of the total construction
cost and the loans will be amortized,
as In the case of urban housing,
over 60-year period.
Net Unit Costs Fikured.
Net construction cost per dwelling
unit varies in the different sections.
Highest is $2,048 In Vigo County,
Indiana; lowest is $l.535 in Thomas
County, Georgia. These costs in
clude, In addition to the house itself,
the electrical wiring, a kitchen sink,
an outside sealed well and sanitary
clubhouse. Estimated overall costs
range from $1,985 to $2,60O for the
respective counties. The extra is
due to land charges, architectural
fees and carrying charges.
Administrator Nathan Straus. who
worked out the plans for the rural
program in collaboration with Sec
retary of Agriculture Wallace, made
an inspection trip to the counties
several months ago. Since then. it
was pointed out, about 200 county
housing authorities have been set
up in various sections in anticipa-
ton Of a general rural program if
Congress gives its final approval.
Mr.. Straus added:
These six projects prove beyond
doubt three main points, namely:
That decent, safe and sanitary hous-
ing can be developed under the
United States Housing Authority
program for families in the lowest
income group in rural areas; that
this housing can be developed 50
economically, without sacrificing
essential standards, that 1t will
quicken the progress Of the United
States Housing Authority program
in the direction of lower building
costs and lower annual contribu-
tions to reduce rents, and that the
slum clearance and low-rent hous-
ing program is not only needed, but
also is wanted and appreciated and
understood in rural areas"
For Four Types Of Families.
Four kinds of families will occupy
the new rural homes, it was ex-
planned. They are small farm
owner operators, tenant farmers,
sharecroppers and rural wage work.
ers or laborers. In most cases the
dwellings will consist of a living
room, dining space, kitchen and
three, four or five bedrooms. A
majority of the houses contemplated
will have three bedrooms. In each
instance, the old well will be re-
paired or new, clean, sealed well
provided.
The rural program differs from
the urban program, Mr.. Straus
said, IN at least two instances. It
will be directed toward a gradual
creation of home owners instead
Of renters. Under the present law,
however, only rental occupancy is
possible. But a suggested amend
ment will provide for gradual &c
QUESTION of the homes by the fami-
lies who live in them.
A second difference is that the
rural program requires and is re-
ceiving the cooperation of the Agri-
culture Department, as housing is
considered inseparable from many
OF the ordinary farm problems.
With perfecting legislation, the
Agriculture Department and the
U. S. H. A. will be able to work
together more closely than it is now
doing toward expanding the rural
housing program from experimental
beginnings.
Must Be "Goinx Farm"
Before one Of the county housing
authorities can undertake to build
dwelling site of at least one acre
must be transferred to it. This
property must be part of or contig-
uous to going farm"
The new home will be rented to
the farmer or tenant at q rent
within his ability to pay. It will
not exceed $50 year and usually
will be less, officials said. AS In
the case Of urban families, the need
for sanitary, adequate living quar-
ters must be shown.