Evening star., 1940-01-27
Census 10 Ask
81 Questions
On Housing
Answers Will Form
Busis for Future
National Policies
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Data on housing and home owner
ship throughout the country that
should prove valuable to real estate
men, builders, mortgage bankers and
homeowners alike, will be gathered
by the 10000 enumerators in con-
junction with the sixteenth decen-
NAL census to be conducted in April
by the Bureau of the Census.
Answers will be obtained by work.
ers to 81 questions bearing on the
type of structure, equipment and
ownership for each of the approxi-
mately 35,000,00O dwellings in the
United States. Information gath
cred should be of inestimable value
in the determination of future hous-
ing policies, housing experts point
out. It is expected to show trends
In home ownership and building.
Through the census tabulations it
will be possible to determine facts
of vital Importance to local geo.
graphical and political subdivisions.
Equipped with the new information,
cities will be able to determine the
distribution of the various types of
housing w,thin their limits, together
with the possible need of expansion
of transportation and communica-
ton systems, police and fire protec-
ton, schools and other facilities.
Social Work to Be Aided.
Tables compiled by the census
workers should also help social work.
ers to establish relationships be-
tween certain types of housing and
human needs by correlating their
own data on characteristics and To-
cations of clients with the new in
formation on characteristics of the
homes.
Manufacturers and distributors of
housing products will be helped in
planning sales campaigns by the in
formation on equipment of the Ma
tion's homes, together with the State
OF repair of the homes.
Data on mortgages and the aver
age amount of mortgage will prove
Of value to home finance institu-
tions in checking the soundness of
their investments and the possibility
Of loan expansion. Trade associa-
tions, financial groups and research
organizations helped census officials
compile questions for the housing
count which follow:
characteristics of Structure.
!. Characteristics of structure in
which dwelling unit is located:
Type of structure: One-family de-
tached, one-family attached, two
family side-by- side, other tWo-fam-
lily, three or more family structures
and structures with business by
number of dwelling units.
Structure originally built as: Resi-
dental structure with same number
of dwelling units, with different
number of dwelling units; non
residential structure.
Exterior material: Wood, brick,
stucco, other.
Is this structure in need of major
repairs?
Year structure was originally built.
Located on farm?
2. Characteristics of dwelling unit:
Number of rooms.
Water supply: In dwelling unit
running water. hand pump; within
so feet of dwelling unit-running
water. other
Toilet facilities: In structure
flush toilet for exclusive use, shared
flush toilet, other; outside toilet or
privy.
Bathtub or shower with running
water in structure: For exclusive
use; shared with other households.
Lighting equipment: Electric, gas,
kerosene or gasoline, other.
Estimated rental value of owner
occupied or vacant non-farm dwell
ing
Occupancy status of vacant dwell
Ing: For sale or rent - ordinary
dwelling, seasonal dwelling; held for
absent ousehold-ordinary dwelling,
seasonal dwelling.
Other Features.
3. Characteristics of occupied
dwelling unit:
Home tenure: Owned, rented.
Color or race of head of household.
Total number of persons in house
hold
Refrigeration equipment: Mechan-
acal, ice, other
Is there radio in this dwelling?
Heating equipment: Central steam
(See CENSUS, Page B-2)