Evening star., 1946-07-02
wyatt Saysv Vetoed Bill
would Have Doubled
Home Costs in Al

! Housing Administrator Wilson w
wyatt said today a house which
cost 5000 to build In 1910 would
cost between $1,000 and $4,000 to
put UP early n>xt year If costs were
allowed to rise as much as would
nRve been permitted under the
modified OPA bill vetoed by Presi-
dent Truman.
: The Housing Administrator told
a press conference that he believed
that cost rises withoutpthe bill would
hardly be any greater but that they
,1night be more rapid
/. Mr.. Wyatt declared the greatest
.upsurge" in home building in the
Nations history was seriously en-
.dangered by the present break
down in price controls" but pointed
out that present ceilings on homes
completed after March 26 remain
in full effect"
Builders Face Squeeze"
He admitted, however, that under
a sharp price rise builders might be
caught in a squeeze" and said that
in case Congress permitted a sub
stantial price increase in building
materials 1--WE would have to go into
a huddle" to revamp the 2,700 ,000-
home program. He said that rent
ceilings on new homes might be
continued under the Veterans Emer-
.gency Housing Act. based on the
granting OF priorities, but that lit is
mot yet clear from the legal stand
point" whether such controls could
remain In effect.
+, Pointing to his first public report,
ISSUED today, he said that in the
first five months of 1916. under price
control, home building had Jumped
TO near-record heights, coming close
TO the number of homes and apart
ments started in the same period in
our peak building year, 1925"
| Mr.. Wyatt reported that 406,0 900
dwelling units had been started in
the first five months of this year,
which he pointed out was "a per cent
Of the 1916 goal of 100000.
Excluding trailers, conversions and
temporary dwellings reused on pres
ent sites, MI. Wyatt explained that
the remaining 10000 starts COM
pared to $4,000 starts in the like
five-month period in 1928. OF all
starts in the first five months of
this year, he said, $4,000 were new
permanent houses.
He said the dollar volume of
housing under construction in the
first five months of this year
amounted to s1,OS7, ,OOo oOOO-far in
excess of the $3.50 100000 for the full
year 1s45 and the yearly total of
$68s 900 900 in 1914.
He estimated that total of 235,-
900 veterans and servicemen's fam
lilies have been accommodated up to
now in "publicly-financed housing
as a result Of preference given to
service families on those rentals.
Mr.. Wyatt, referring to the effect
of the preesnt status of price control
on the National Housing Agency s
program Of subsidies for building
materials, revealed that on new
premium payment plans would be
put into effect until Congress acts
on price control
Compilations Small.
He pointed out that there was no
accurate picture" available on COM
pletions OF homes started under the
veterans program, but said that he
believed competitions were "dispro-
portionately small" owing to a lag
gir1g fiow OF materials and the fact
that there was little building under
way at the time the program
started.
Asked whether he was answering
a statement of the National Asso.
citation of Home Builders, Mr.. Wyatt
said: You mean Frank Cortright?'
Frank w. Cortright is executive
vice president of the home builders
association)
A reported pointed out that Mr.
Cortright had referred to the hous-
ing administrator first public re-
port as "a bad example of press
agentry."
Mr.. Wyatt challenged a statement
by Mr.. Cortright. which indicated
that at present nine months were
required to build a house, dismiss
Ing it as more press agentry."
Tp4 pt,6 6o1~