Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-02-12
$4,000 New Houses
Within 7 Years Urged
As D. {. Share in Plan

OiSlflCJ pullQeIS SIlOulQ SLdTC con-
struction Of at least $4,000 new
houses this year and 1900 more
in 1947 to carry out the nationa
housing program announced by Ma.
tional Housing Administrator Viii.
son w. Wyatt, according to Pau
Oppermann, Federal Works Agency
economist.
Mr.. Oppermann. who also is chair.
man of city planning, Citizens
Council for Community Planning
estimated Washington's share OF
the 100000 houses called for in
the next two years at $4,000.
With 1 per cent of the popula-
ton, the District should get / pc,
cent of the new dwellings, he said
Although the Government has es-
tablished no basis of ALLEGATION
Mr.. Oppermann observed the Dis
trict's quota should perhaps be
larger than average because of its
acute housing problem.
At a joint meeting of the council
and the Potomac chapter, National
Association of Housing Officials, al
the Roger Smith Hotel yesterday
he expressed hope the national
housing program will lend the battle
royal over housing here"
Grant Estimates Space.
The meeting also heard Maj. Gen
q. S. Grant III, chairman of thu
National Park and Planning Com.
mission, estimate that areas in tn,
District now. zoned for residential
purposes can accommodate 1859 ,00
persons. "a g
To meet the immediate housin,
crisis, Mrs. William H. Wells, execu
tive vice president of the council
called on the Federal Government
to halt the return of its scattered
offices to the District. The Distric
Commissioners, she added, shoule
see that all residential units, usee
for other purposes during the war
are reconverted to house veteran,
and their families.
Because of the lack of CONNER.
clal rent control. building owner.
prefer to rent for commercial pur.
poses, Mrs. Wells charged. She ad.
vocated careful enforcement of zon.
ing laws to make more Residential,
units available.
Mrs. Ellen r. Harper, director Of
the War Housing Center, reported
that $500 residential units wert
taken over by the Federal Gov.
eminent and foreign missions dur.
ing the war. Some have been re.
leased, but so far it has been i'm.
possible to recapture them fol
dwelling purposes, she said.
Housing Requests Jump.
Employees of the Patent Office anc
the Rural Identification Admins.
tratlon are returning from com.
munities, in which they became wei
established during the war. to 8
"madhouse,' she asserted. Appli.
cations for housing received at tn,
war Housing Center have jumped
from an average of $50 a day ir
l94S to 4l6 daily thus far in 1916
Mrs. Harper announced.
Urging home owners to rent room,
to steadily increasing list of mer
applicants, she observed that "ever,
one is crying for quarters we dom,
nave and see little hope of getting. ,
MIR. Oppermann said that. in spit.
OF the opposition of the buildins
trades to prefabricated housing
construction in the District thi,
year must include prefabricated a.
well as temporary housing.
So that the new construction
will fit into a sound city plannin,
program, it is important that tn.
House act now on the District re.
development bill already passed b,
the Senate, he added.
Drive Planned for Bill.
The council is sponsoring a meet.
ing today at the YWCA, Seven.
tenth and K streets NV, to or.
ganize a community drive to MI
the bill across. 1t would set I'M !,
District redevelopment land agenc,
with power to acquire property fo
loW-rent housing and to supervis,
acquisition of property for con,
struction.
Gen. Grant declared that "som,
way should be found to prevent an,
building fit for habitation from
being used for another purpose"
Although he warned that any per.
manent changes in the buildin,
code and coming laws may upset tn,
character Of the city, Gen. Gran
said that some exceptions must B,
allowed to meet the housing emer.
gency.
The District now has 1890 acres o
vacant land in residential zones, O
which 2,712 acres are not sub.
divided, Gen. Grant reported. n,
recommended the use Of vacan
lots for temporary housing and ,
check of every empty house in tn,
District to see that it is put To Use
Missouri AIu~n: 4. kA