Evening star., 1946-12-24
Builders Irked
Still as Housing
Controls Relax
Won't All Curbs Taken
Off Immediately,
Not Gradually

Whlle cOncedlng tnat the Gov
ernment's revised housing program,
effective today, would result in some
increased production, spokesman
for the National Association of
Home Builders, declared today that
to release controls only step by step
would result in many hardships."
Frank w. Cortright, executive
vice president of the association,
branded as "very foolish" and
stupid" some of the restrictions
still in effect.
The new rules eliminate ceiling
prices on new houses to be built
for sale. But to prevent luxury
type" construction, houses must be
heeld to 1900 square feet of floor
space, and fixtures for a single bath
room. Some incentives also are held
out to builders for construction of
rental housing.
Some Discrimination Seen.
Mr.. Cortright declared that decon-
trolling step by step will work hard
ship on builders already committed
to building, who have started to
construct homes for veterans under
the priorities program. Since such
houses still are governed by
$4,000 ceiling price, builders will
have to go out into the market and
compete for labor and materials
against builders starting new homes
without a ceiling price.
Edward R. Carr, president of the
Home Builders Association of
Washington said, "The new rules
are quite different from what had
hoped, but are step in the right
direction" He added, however, that
they are "a bit on the impractical
side if we want to get maximum
production"
Mr.. Cartright declared that the
prohibition against completing sec
ond bathroom in a new home was
very stupid" That restriction
ought to be changed as soon as pos
sible, he declared.
Fixtures Can't Be Put In.
The new rules permit builder to
install all the necessary pipe to
rough in the inlets and outlets
to bathroom, but do not permit |
installation of fixtures, he pointed
out.
ITO finish that empty bathroom
after the house is completed" he
declared, probably will cost the
veteran or any other owner about |
twice as much as if it could be COM
pleted by the contractor while the
house is under construction.
The new aids to rental housing |
include substitution of an $50 pro-
ject average for the old $50 per unit
monthly maximum rent. Thus pro-
ject owners may charge more for
the more desirable dwelling units if
they scale the others low enough to
achieve the $50 average.
Another major step was a reduc-
ton in the minimum amount OF
principal that must be paid off each
month on rental housing mort
gage insured by the Federal Hous-
ing Administration.
Now May Run 80 Years.
A builders loan now may extend
over 80 years and 7 months where
the interest rate is 4 per cent.
The average length of time under
the old higher payments was 27
years and months
The housing action was one of
several in which Government agen-
cies scrapped series of industrial
controls in a preholiday speedup of
President Truman's decontrol pro-
gram.
The Government also junked dis
tri5ution controls over penicillin;
mandatory priorities for installation
of telephone service; limitations on
the use of tinplate; prohibition
against importation of cane spirits,
and wholesale and retail inventory
controls on a number of items of
clothing.
Removal of controls over distribu-
ton of tinplate will permit unlim
tied use of the material to make tin
cans for such food items as short
ening, coffee, beer and pet foods and
such nonfood products as turpen-
tine, paint, liquid soap and polishes.