Evening star., 1942-01-21
u. ). Inaction
Shack|es War
Housing Here
Far Less Thun Half
OF Projects Begun,
Builders Reveal
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.


tainty and failure of Government
to establish centralized war
housing responsibility, the pri-
vate building industry here.
counted on to produce half
of Washington's badly-needed
housing, is operating far below
so per cent capacity, The Star
learned today.
This leaves the Capitals housing
situation in desperate plight. Last
week Congress eliminated the Dis
trict from sharing in the huge ap-
preparation for public war housing
provided by the Lanham Act. A be-
fore-Pearl Harbor program stated
22.000 new dwelling units would be
needed by June 30.
1t called for at least 10000 of
these to be produced by private in
dustry, $500 low-rent units to be
supplied through public funds ex-
pected under the Lanham Act and
$500 medium-rent apartments TO be
built by Defense Homes Corp, a
r. F. C. subsidiary.
The D. H. C. program is the only
portion which is going forward ap-
parently unhampered They have
announced large projects for Friend
ship, the estate bought from the Nc
Lean family, and for property pur-
chased from the Mccormick Good
hart estate in nearby Maryland So
far as could be determined. how
ever. no actual work has started on
these jobs. A measure of relief is
promised from special legislation ex-
pected in Congress which would pro-
vide funds for public housing here.
Private Building Is Stalled.
Defense Housing Co-ordinator
Charles F. Palmers early estimate
of the 22,000-unit need of housing
here is out of date now. The
stepped-up war program is expected
to add 25O.00O persons to Washing
tons population this year. Mr..
Palmer will announce shortly an
other program based on a new sur
vey OF needs. This is expected to
call for double the number of units
contained in the early estimate.
Public housing will be asked to
supply a far greater number of
houses than previously. and the
quota for private builders will be
increased greatly. 1t is not be-
ieved that D. H. C. can do much
more than carry out its 7,5O0-unit
/ program.
Interviews with builders and
financing representatives revealed
that the private home building pro-
gram is stalled Opinions vary as
to how the Government can remedy
the situation. though all agree that
only the Government can put the
building industry in motion again.
This impasse has been apparent
for nearly two months, and though
builders repeatedly have called for
help. none has been forthcoming.
In fact, as one builder stated the
case, the o. P. NJ constantly throws
cold water in our faces by releasing
bear stories of possible stoppage
Of all building"
o. P. NJ. Gave No Help.
Shortly after Mr.. Palmer released
his 22000-unit program. Washing
ton builders announced they would
build $4,000 houses and apartments
if the Government gave definite as
surance materials would be avail
able and in some instances gave
small subsidies to builders. The o.
P M. gave materials priority ratings
though no subsidy assistance has
been offered.
Builders. finding the huge reser-
voirs of private financing were not
released by priority ratings, asked o.
P. M. for a guarantee of materials.
This, the o. P NJ said it could not
do. as it did not know how much Of
the stock of critical" materials
would be used in the constantly
stepped-up armament program.
o. P. M. housing officials met with
builders and said they were sure that
priority ratings would not be granted
unless the materials were available
to complete the job. They still re-
fused guarantee. and this uncer-
tainty over the status of priority
rating froze private financing for
housing, and frightened wealthy
builders so they were unwilling to
invest large portion of their capital
in new projects.
AS one builder put it: TT doesn't
matter if make nickel profit on
war housing, but I don't want to
lose all have on an unfinished job"
If private funds are to be released
for housing, builders say, the Gov
ernment must either provide some
subsidies to builders or guarantee
materials to build the projects.
Many builders charge the Govern