Evening star., 1941-05-16
Defense HOUSING
Seen as Serving
Future Needs
Home Building PorIey
Told Long-Ronge
View Not Sacrificed

Construction under way all over
the country to meet defense hous-
ing demands lis making positive
and important contribution to the
Nations supply of decent housing,
which will benefit the American
standard of living for many years
to come" Earle S. Draper, assistant
administrator of the Federal Hous-
ing Administration, told the Ma
tional Conference on Home Building
Of the newly organized Home Build
ers' Institute of America at the
Mayf1ower Hotel today.
Mr.. Draper SAID defense housing
needs were being met, to a large
degree, by private capital operating
to a considerable extent in CO.
operation with the F. H. A. program.
"In my opinion" he added. by
wise coordination of privately
financed and Federally financed
segments of defense housing, we are
meeting the needs of this critical
situation with speed unequaled in
any previous emergency of similar
character. The importance of this
accomplishment from the standpoint
of the morale of the defense in
dustry workers, and hence from the
standpoint of effective prosecution
of the defense production effort,
cannot be overestimated.
Amendment Passage Praised.
Passage by the House yesterday
OF an amendment to the National
Housing Act was praised at this
mornings session by David D. Bo-
hannon of San Francisco, confer
ence chairman. The amendment,
which extends authorization for
mortgage insurance to existing
houses and raises the loan limit
In Title / of the act from $500 TO
$4,000, now goes to the Senate.
Curt c. Mack, director of under
writing of the Federal Housing Ad-
ministration, discussed present con-
struction. A recent estimate, it was
explained, places the current rise
IN construction costs at Is per cent
Because dwellings are being built
to recognized standard of con-
struction," Howard P. Vermilya, di-
rector of the technical division of
r. II. A., said home mortgages
have been given liquidity that af-
fords Nationwide secondary mar
ket for mortgage funds"
THE value of established mini
mum standards for dwelling prop
critics" Mr.. Vermilya pointed out.
"has been especially evident in. the
field of w-priced housing Here
1t has been most beneficial to
builders by decreasing unfair COM
petition through jerry-building. The
effect of these standards has been
felt through the entire building in
dustry by the stimulation of house
building. The confidence these
standards have given mortgages
has made construction funds more
readily available"
Sound residential neighborhoods.
areas that will keep their attrac-
tiveness and their value, can be
maintained by proper planning. the
conferees were told by Seward H.
Mott, director of the F. H. A. land
planning division.
Works Against Waste.
Every plan for a residential area
Ghould be tailor made Job" Mr..
Mott contended. He defined a
sound plan as one that attains the
maximum in usable lots with the
minimum length of streets. He
called the old-fashioned gridiron
plan of laying out such develop
n1ents in uniform right-angled
blocks wasteful and said that
patented plans or geometric lay
outs are not practical"
A change was made in the pro-
gram, shortening the session from
three to two days. The speeches
arranged for tomorrow were to be
delivered this afternoon and tonight.
Instead of having a program at
the hotel tomorrow, the conference
members will make an inspection
tour of housing in Baltimore and
Washington. Leaving the Mayf1ower
Hotel at 9 am. in buses, they will 60
to Baltimore first to inspect con-
struction of prefabricated houses at
the Glenn Martin Co. project. Re-
turning to Washington in the after
noon, they will survey some housing
projects here, the names of which
are to be disclosed later.
The principal address at tonight's
dinner will be delivered by James F.
Twohy, governor of the Federal
Home Loan Rank poord