The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-01-24
BY Roger w. 5abson

ban on residential building has
resulted in a pent-lp demand for
new houses that is Unprecedented.
Potential markets exist for at least
one million units. Housing Is still
critical 10 many localities Real
estate dealers are ha- put to find
small homes, In cooperation with
builders. however, they can look
forward TO merchandising the
greatest residential crop Of their
careers. Aided by far.sceing city
and suburban planning aud by new
tcchniques IN construction, home
owners can also look ahead-in
their instance to lower costs and
greater conyenienccs in living
A Word OF Caution
Much of the shortage Of city
dwellings 10 largely caused by the
war. In some defense areas the
peak demand has passed The
present scarcity may turn into an
oyer-supply. But not so every
where. Many migrant war work.
ers from farms have occupied new,
and attrsctively fitted W. Govern
ment Housing homes Once back
on the farm they are not going to
be content with their old way of
living. Those who have saved a
few thousand dollars will want to
invest in a new home This may
be a decided factor in boosting
both building volume and lana
values in smaller and rural COM
munities
New residential building totals
will be very large but may he
spotty, geographically All local.
ties cannot look forward to an
equal participation. Geographical
ly. the Southwest Coastal States
can expect increased housing &C
tivity. This is also true of New
England and the Northwest States.
Builders and dealers should take
time out now to consider carefully
the prospective demand for new
homes in their respective com
munities. but real estate or build
ing booms may we'll be confined to
certain definite areas
The Postwar House
In pre.war years, considerable
progress was made in pre-fabricat-
ed construction. Methods OF insu-
lating, heating, wiring and plumb
ing have been so improved during
the war that the pre-fabricated
house industry may make quite a
showing A recent survey cover
ing $1,000 houses OF this type
shows that they can be built for
fom 1870 10 700 below the cost
# the conventional house A very
large number have been built for
defense workers. Many Of these
may be moved TO new sites. This
however. IS an expensive job
As prefsbricated house manu-
tactu+ers profit from recently
learned construction lessons and
as the idea catches on, | expect
to see q real market for houses Of
this type. Five or six years after
the war fifty per cent OF our new
homes may be pre-fabricated IN
whole or in part A great deal OF
material can be saved and these
savings passed on to the home
owner. 1t may not be long before
chain stores and department
stores can carry a regular line OF
partially pre-fabricated houses. II
is as reasonable to expect that
houses can be mass-produced as
are automobiles.
Back City and Town Planning
Like pre-fabricated houses, there
is nothing new in city planning
although IT is still in its infancy.
The idea is maturing slowly but
surely. During the war, munich
palities have not had much 10
spend on municipal Improvements.
In many communities however,
Planning Boards have been busy
preparing studies of housing, rec
reation and educational require
ments. Many of their recon-
mendations. designed TO meet the
maximum living requirements in
terms of health. efficiency and con
venienCe. will take concrete form.
Studies in planning should con.
slider town or city's future in re-
lation to its state or region and
even to the nation. Even a COM
munitys place and the service II
might render in any new world
economy should be determined
Population trends, industries, re-
sources. available land, soil analy'
sis, climate. transportation, sani'
tation and many other factors en-
ter into intelligent city or subur'
ban planning 1t should represent
much more than an efficient lay
out OF streets, parks, homes, bust
ness areas and educational or