Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-02-05
DC. Area 10 Get
1850 More
Defense Homes
10 Million Allowed
For DemountubIes
Adds to Lunhum Plon
DEFENSE HOMES PROJECT is be-
ing planned in Arlington County.
Page B-1.

DEFENSE HOMES PROJECT is De-
ing planned in Arlington County.
Page B-I.
ALLEGATION of $IS,900,000 for
immediate erection of $500 de-
mountable houses for low-in-
come families here was an
nounced today by Defense
Housing Co-ordinator Charles
F. Palmer in another step to al
leviate Washington's serious war
housing problem.
Financing was supplied by Presi-
dent Roosevelt from the special fund
Of $500, 000,0 900 which Congress made
available to him after Pearl Harbor
for emergency housing use. A month
ago the President allocated from
this fund to Federal Works Agency
Sl53, 10000 to build $4,000 demount-
ables in other defense areas.
Mr.. Palmer made clear the new
funds are in addition to the $780,
100000 to be appropriated for hous-
ing and badly-needed public works
under the Lanham bill now before
Congress. He said the new alloca-
ton would partially relieve the
housing situation while Congress is
completing work on the bill.
Pointing out that the Lanham
bill would provide for about 10000
permanent-type family units, Mr..
Palmer said the new program would
in no wise minimize" the need for
the s50,00o,00O.
A. ID. A. to Be Manager.
The new dwellings are to be built
and managed by the District Alley
Dwelling Authority, of which John
1hlder Is executive officer. They are
to be Of the pre-fabricated, remov-
able type which can either remain
as permanent structures or moved
to other locations after the war.
Cooperating in the program, Mr..
Palmer said, are the District Com
mlssioners, the county manager Of
Arlington, and the planning COM
missions OF Arlington, Fairfax and
Montgomery Counties.
Immediate steps will be taken to
select and acquire the sites, pref
erably on leasing basis, the hous-
ing co-ordinator stated. An effort
will be made to locate the homes
within easy access of temporary and
permanent Government Office build
ings. Rents will be fixed to be
within reach of workers earning
$1,000 or less. Taxes will be paid
on the same basis as the homes
provided under the Lanham Hous-
ing Act.
Mr.. Palmer gave assurance that
the houses will be attractive in ap-
pearance, as complete in equipment
and as durable as those Of perma-
nent construction. Since Washing
ton has no considerable facilities for
decentralization Of houses, most
Of the structures will be made at
other points and assembled here.
This, Mr.. Palmer said, will tighten
the burden of overtaxed labor sup
plies in this area.
Types Are Varied.
Mr.. Palmer continued that some
OF the houses Will be single struc-
lures, others twin dwellings and
some of the row type From 10 to
80 per cent viii contain two and
three bedrooms, with the rest having
single bedroom each. He en-
phasized the houses will meet all
standards set by the Federal Hous-
ing Administration for its 25-year
financing plan.
Mr.. Palmer said his office a year
ago foresaw great demand for
houses which could be assembled
quickly at points of greatest need,
and encouraged great expansion Of
the prefabricated home industry.
He said this industry today is we'll
prepared to take care of all demands,
and that improvement of design, in
terror arrangements and modern
household conveniences have been
made so rapidly that those being
manufactured today will add to the
attractiveness Of any area"