Evening star., 1942-03-22
War Housing
Plan for D. T..
Lags Far Behind
Only Few New Units
Will Be Ready by
June 80 DeudIine
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.


Washington's war housing
program has begged down badly
with no definite improvement in
sight.
A Government program, out
lined the week of the Pearl
Harbor raid, called for compile
ton here by June 80 of $4,000
family dwelling units and $500
dormitory or hotel rooms. This
figure was increased late in jan
uary to $4,000 family units.
Records show that only about
1882 family units and lips
rooms have been started in Met
ropolitan Washington since De-
cember /. All but about 1000
family units are listed to private
builders.
Many of the units started will not
be completed by June 80. 1t is
highly unlikely that any project
not already begun can be ready for
occupancy by the deadline.
So far, a large portion of the
housing proposed to be built with
Federal funds has resulted only IN
a battle of words and theories. jan
uary % the Lanham bill authoriz-
ing funds for 10000 dwellings was
introduced in the House. The first
hearing was held January %. Next
Tuesday. nearly two months later,
the hearings still will be going on.
A.D. A. Still Hunts Sites.
February 5, Defense Housing
Co-ordinator Charles F. Palmer an
nounced that President Roosevelt
had allotted s1S9OO,OOO to the Alley
Dwelling Authority from an emer-
gency housing fund for erection of
4.5OO temporary housing units here.
No actual construction work has
been done on these units and the
authority is still looking for sites.
The A. D. A. should not be blamed
for this for suitable sites are diff
cult to find, especially sites which
may be leased for temporary hous-
ing
The Government, by its failure
to lend assistance, has virtually
scrapped the private home building
industry, the builders complain.
They say this industry built up the
Capital and was counted on to play
vital role in providing badly
needed war housing. A bill de-
signed to liberalize F. H. A. mort
gage insurance requirements to
satisfy the builders desires and re-
lease private capital for home build
ing still is pending in Congress.
Months ago private builders told
Government housing officials they
wanted help to bring them into the
emergency program effectively and
we're promised assistance would be
forthcoming.
Washington's housing situation,
considered critical last December, is
worse today. The Defense Housing
Registry reports there are no avail
able family accommodations which
are carried over from one dav to
another. There is small tournCver
of units created by transfers O.
families to other cities. An official
said a two-week search failed to
uncover a better-type accommoda-
ton for a colored family. The reg
istry has an average of about 1900
rooms listed, but almost all OF these
are far from the center of the city.
Private Homes Utilized.
Two developments apparently
have saved Washington from a
housing scandal These are the de-
centralization program which has
increased living quarters for new
workers and cut down the influx OF
new war workers by causing trans
fer of employees from civilian to
war agencies, and the opening up OF
private homes to roomers. This lat
ter development largely is the rea-
son the housing registry now has
1900 rooms listed. The registry
has placed hundreds of workers in
private homes.
1t was on December II that Mr..
Palmer pointed out the immediate
need in Washington for $4,000 fam
lily units and $500 rooms. He said
private builders would be expected
to supply 10000 new family units,
the Defense Homes Corp, R. F. C..
subsidiary, $500 units and $500
rooms, and 4,50O other family units
for very low-income workers would
be provided by the Government di-
rectly. 1t is revealing to consider