Evening star., 1942-03-29
Bell Suggests Mall,
Nearby Areas as Sites
For Defense Housing
House Committee Ends
Inspection of Norfolk,
Newport News Homes
BY JAMES Z. CHINN,
Star Staff Correspondent.

BY JAMES +. CHINN,
Star Staff Correspondent.
NORFOLK, March 28.-Washing-
tons war workers should be housed
either in temporary dormitories on
the Mall or in government-f financed
projects in suburban Maryland and
Virginia, Chairman Bell of a special
House subcommittee, said tonight
after completing two-day inspec-
tion Of defense housing in the Nor
folk-Newport News area.
The subcommittee came here to
study housing conditions and re-
port back to the House Building and
Grounds Committee before final
action on a bill authorizing an ap-
preparation of $70,000,00O for con-
struction OF homes for government
workers and related public works is
taken by Congress.
Representative Bell said family
housing units similar to those OBJ
served in this section for defense
workers should be built in MARYLAND
or Virginia and not in the District
proper.
Some Homes Lack Character.
He expressed belief that some of
the defense homes lack character"
and would not harmonize with the
general development of Washington.
He said he was not certain the tvpes
OF homes built in the area would be
suitable for construction in the
Capital.
Ihe House members spent five
hours today examining low-cost de-
tense housing units in Norfolk and
portsmouth. Similar projects in the
newport News area were inspected
yesterday.
Two housing developments which
provide cheap living accommoda-
lions Tor personnel of the Norfolk
navy Yard were visited today. One
Is known as the Ben Moreell prof.
ect and the other Merrimac Park.
Particular interest was shown bv
the group in the Merrimac Park de-
Velopment because of the low rental
paid by occupants. Families of
Navy non-commiSsioned officers are
housed here in comfortable quarters.
Rent Is S14.50 Monthly.
A typical apartment rents for
sl4.50 month and includes a bed
room, living room and kitchenette.
This low rent. however, is paid only
by men in the lowest income group.
Similar accommodations for higher
salaried Navy employees costs $40
more month.
The delegation inspected interiors
OF the homes. Rent includes all
utilities services except heat. The
apartments are heated by oil. One
resident said her heating bill for this
winter season was $12.
The unusual construction of the
Ben Moreell project impressed COM
mittee members There they OBJ
served dual family units in dormi-
tory-like structures.
The defense houses inspected
were practically all of one-story,
frame construction. In economic
ing on cost, plaster board was used
to give the appearance of concrete
foundations.
The House members were told |
that the Norfolk area faces a water /,
shortage because Of the population
increase in the last two years. City
officials and Navy officers asked
that additional water facilities be
provided.
One of those most favorably i'm
pressed by the type of defense
homes in the Norfolk Newport |
News area was Representative Kir-
wan., Democrat, of Ohio. In a
heavy rain, he left the official in
spection car to make a personal
investigation of conditions in one
of the homes.
When he left, he turned to news
and said These homes
are better than the one live in"
The subcommittee was to return
to washington by boat tonight.