Evening star., 1946-12-31
Letters to The Star
Sees Housing Feasible Through
Group Cooperation


TO the Editor of The Star:
During more than year the veterans
housing program was rendered virtually
worthless by series OF legislative and
administrative actions, beginning with
the lifting of price controls on building
materials, and ending with the dismissal
of Wilson Wyatt
There was little outcry at any of these
harmful actions. But there is consider
able indignation, and certain amount
of direct action on the part of the real
estate crowd that is responsible for the
failure of the Government program,
when group of veterans are allegedly
gypped by a local promoter.
An ironic observation should be made
apropos the Williams case: Is this
real estate man. who set out to build
houses for $4,000 and actually got
started on his project, to be condemned
more bitterlyfor finding himself bank
rupt than are those members of the
same profession and their allies who
undermined Mr. Wyatt's program until
now virtually all veterans housing costs
at least $4,000 per unit?
The fact of the matter is that for
ex-servicemen (and the whole economic
group who need housing costing between
$5 900 and $4,000 the ordinary specula-
tive builder is not equipped to provide
this type of shelter. I go even further
and say that satisfactory housing for
the so-called middle income group
(by satisfactory, refer to price, quality,
esthetics and location of the home in a
neighborhood where there are COM
munity facilities and children are pro-
tected), except in very few cases,
cannot be built under present-day con-
ditions by so-called private enter
prise"
The Textile Workers Union Of Amer
lea (CIO), which I represent here in
Washington, now is completing hous-
ing project not very far from Washing
ton. Our experience with that job
convinees us that housing meeting most
of the above specifications as to salts
factory" probably could be built in SUI
burban areas for about $4,000. 1t must
be understood, however, that a project
of this type would be successful only If
conducted strictly on non-proft basis.
Veterans and others in the income group
whose needs cannot be met adequately
by the ordinary type of operative or
speculative builder will have to form
themselves into cooperative or mutual
housing associations and employ ca
pable. experienced technicians at good
salaries or fees to build them fairly
large-scale developments. Actually, the
group of technicians probably would in
clude a practical real estate man who
would perform certain necessary SER
vices for an agreed upon sum. A really
capable contractor used to large-scale
operations would be employed to do the
actual construction work. The individ-
ual participant would be protected in
various ways: BY Federal Housing Ad-
ministration standards and inspections
CHA makes some loose check on the
financial and business ability of the
sponsor of project for which 1t is
making a commitmenD and by the
reputation and character of the tech
nical men who would organize and
agreement has been reached as to what
was wanted and what practically was
possible. And though we in CIO object
bitterly to the interest rates charged
by banks and insurance companies for
mortgage money, it is fact that the
l,r sri 4y, al la
their business; by obtaining funds from
such outfits the individuals help pro-
tect themselves against illicit dealings.
There are exceedingly proficient and
really socially conscious men who oper-
ate concerns which do large scale con-
tracing My union has worked with
such concerns.
In an inflationary period Of this kind
there always are risks: rising prices,
shortages of materials and possible
sabotage by various special interests
But the people who would put up their
few hundred dollars each to start such
a project would have to be told all
about the risks in advance and would
know Just what they would be getting
into.
Those of us with no private axes to
grind in this field should get busy and
organize those needing housing. in
stead Of leaving these fellow citizens to
become the possible victims OF outfits
which are neither morally nor tech
nically able to deliver the kind and
quantity of shelter that is needed at the
price that is within the ability of this
group of consumers to pay.