Evening star., 1946-12-14
Officials Study
|Non.veterans'
Home Priorities
Plan Would Provide
Housing for Ex-GIs
In Vacated Buildings
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press
/ Key agency heads worked
away at the Nations housing
policy today amid signs that
they may make nonveterans
eligible for priorities on new
homes.
If this is done, housing men re-
ported privately, those permitted to
build will be required to release
their old apartments or houses for
rental to veterans.
Veterans organizations opposed
the idea when 1t was put forth by
former Housing Expediter Wilson
Wyatt. But they have reconsidered,
1t was stated, on the theory that it
may open up shelter to many veter-
ans who cannot afford to buy new
houses at present inflated prices.
\ Other Proposals Studied.
This and other proposals, includ-
ing the raising of the present $4,000
limit on the sales price of new
homes, were being weighed by Presi-
Dental Assistant John r. Steelman,
Maj. Gen. Philip B. Fleming, direc-
tor of the Office of Temporary Con-
trolls, and Mr.. Wyatt's successors,
Administrator Raymond Foley of the
National Housing Administration
and Housing Expediter Frank r.
Creedon.
This group, along with surplus and
Federal lending officials, scheduled
new conferences today after two days
of meeting behind closed doors at
the White House with President
Truman looking in"
The suggested new top sale price
for new houses is $4,000, at least in
large cities where building costs are
high, officials said. The $80-a-
month rental limit may also be
changed, it has been proposed that
this figure be made the average,
instead of the maximum ceiling in
any rental project.
Flat Ceiling Called Snag.
Thus the builder of housing de-
velopment might be permitted to
charge as much as 500 rent for
some accommodations If he provided
an equal number at $50. Some de-
velopers have complained that the
fiat $50 ceiling hindered them In
laying out their projects.
Another possible change, said per-
sons familiar with the trend of the
conferences, is the elimination Of
the individual sales ceiling set on.
each home by the Federal Housing
Administration before the building
go-ahead is given.
The ceilings vary, within the $l0,-
600 overall limit. Some housing of
ficials contend they tend to put
floor" instead of a ceiling on the
sales price, because builders may
get them revised upward If they
run into unexpectedly heavy costs in
the building process.
Mr.. Truman met with his top
housing advisers yesterday after
noon after which the White House
reported excellent progress" toward
the development of the housing pro-
gram.
Presidential Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross said report would
be issued within day or so, possi-
bly, as early as this afternoon.
Truman Halls Progress.
The President went over the ten
tative program and expressed
pleasure over the excellent" prog
ress that has been made toward
formulating the new procedure for
expediting residential construction,
Mr.. Ross said.
RFC Director George E. Allen,
whose refusal to approve loans for
prefabricated housing was one Of
the issues leading up to Mr.. Wyatt's
resignation, has been sitting in on
the conferences.
simultaneously. organized vet
Grams rallied to defend Federal
housing controls. A spokesman for
the American Veterans of World
War II told Senate subcommit-
tee that industry pressure groups"
must not be allowed to sabotage"
the program.
An American Veterans Commit
tee representative said "squatters"
may take over "boarded-up Fifth
avenue brownstones" this winter
unless the home-building bottle
necks are broken.
The Senate body recessed until
next Wednesday, after hearing lead
ers of the construction, real estate
and building materials industries
assert almost unanimously that vet
Grams would get new houses faster
lii the controls were thrown over
board.