Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-21
Plan 10 Speed
Housing Starts
On January IS
High Priorities Set
For Building Giving
Veterans Preference
BY ROBERT J. LEWIS


The Governments program to
speed up home construction will
60 into effect January IS, John
D. Small, civilian production ad-
mlnlStrator announced today.
The Civilian Production Admin
lstration issued regulations estab-
llshing priority assistance for
houses and apartments which will
be offered first to veterans. The
dwellings are to cost not more than
$4,000 or rent for more than $50 a
month.
Under the program, CPA esti-
mates that available supplies will
permit construction of 400, 900 dwell
ing units In the next year, Mr..
Small explained.
A priority rating, designated as
HH, Is established in the new regu-
lation for 10 critical housing ma
terials, Mr.. Small said. The rating
Will be awarded to individual vet
Grams who wish to build, or to build
ers planning to erect one or more
dwellings who promise that veterans
will be given preference, he said.
Materials Under Regulation.
Under the regulation, housing al
ready under way may receive pri-
critics assistance if it meets stand
ards set by the Government.
Materials covered by the regula-
ton are common and face brick,
| clay sewer pipe, structural tile, gip-
sum board, gypsum lath, cast-iron
soil pipe and fittings, cast-iron ra-
diation, bathtubs, lumber and mill
work.
The regulation was issued in COM
pliance with request of President
Truman, who said at a press con-
ference December II that he was
asking for reinstatement of priority
control over building materials with
specific preference for veterans.
The CPA said that preference will
be granted to veterans of the pres
ent war and merchant seamen, and
that power to award the HH rating
will be delegated to the Federal
Housing Administration. Mr.. Small
explained that FILA will act "on,y
as our agent" and that it's new
duties win not affect regular FHA
operations.
Financing Is Assured.
Raymond A. Foley, FLA commits
sioner, was present at press con-
ference in the Social Security Build
ing at which Mr.. Small announced
issuance of the priorities regulation.
/ Mr.. Small explained that an ap-
plicant for the priorities rating must
satisfy FILA that the proposed price
or rent is reasonably related to the
proposed accommod ations, that con-
struction can start within 60 days of
the filing of an application and that
financing is assured"
Applicants must agree to make
housing available "only to veterans
during the period of construction
and for 30 days thereafter" Mr..
Small said. At the conclusion of
the 30-day period, the applicant may
sell or rent to a nonveteran, but it is
stipulated that the sale must be
ION the same terms which he had
agreed to make available to the
veteran
1t also is provided that the recipi-
ent of priority assistance must
pledge that in case of a resale it
must be "at or below" the maximum
sales price originally set.
May Have to Set Up Quotas.
Il Mr.. Small explained that under
the priorities program, CPA soon
will issue supplementary directions
to set aside "a substantial fraction
of critical materials production,
generally about so per cent" for the
veterans preference housing pro-
gram.
In response to a question, Mr..
Small said that in case IAN unduly
large proportion of applications came
| in for $4,000 homes" the agency may
be obliged to set up quotas of homes
at different sales prices. He added
that it may be necessary to establish
geographic quotas in case too large
number of applications came from
few sections.
Mr.. Small explained that the pres
ent priorities assistance differs
sharply from L-41 controls which
expired October Is in that L-41 was
limitation control prohibiting all
production except that essential to
the war, whereas today's regulation
is designed to assist private home
building by channeling materials
into moderate cost housing"