Evening star., 1947-01-09
Ex-GIs Offered
50 More Homes
Al Cut Prices
Us of 200 Who DeuIt
With Williams Certuin
Of Aid by Builders


each with George H. Williams,
bankrupt real estater man, for
homes he failed to produce, now
have been assured by Washing
ton builders of the chance to
buy homes at reduced cost.
Announcement that builders have
offered so more homes at lowered
prices was made last night at the
dinner meeting Of the Home Build
ers' Association of the Metropolitan
Area, held at the Hotel Statler.
Edward r. Carr, retiring president
of the group, said the so reduced
price homes, 20 in Virginia and 80
in Maryland, were promised by three
builders. Seven other builders said
last Saturday they would make 125
homes available to the GIs at
marked-down prices. About 200
veterans made deposits in the VIII
1iams projects.
Others to Join Offer.
At the same time, Mr.. Carr de-
clared that two or three other firms
are ironing out details" Of partici-
patton in the plan.
Mr.. Carr stepped down from the
presidents chair last night after
Donal l.. Chamberlin, longtime
District resident and president of
the Kennedy -Chamberlin Building
Co., was unanimously elected presi-
dent.
Lewis T. Breuninger, president of
Lewis E. Breuninger & Sons, build
ers and realtors, was named vice
president.
Licensing Curbs Urged.
Before he relinquished the gavel,
however, Mr.. Carr took crack at
critics of the building industry, and
issued strong plea for frightened
restrictions on granting real estate
licenses.
Most of his criticism was centered
on letter printed in The Stars
Letters to the Editor column on De-
cember 81 from John w. Edelman
of the CIO Textile Workers Union
and the CLOS Housing Committee.
Mr.. Edelman struck at what he
termed the building industry's "un-
dermining" of the Wyatt housing
program and said satisfactory hous-
ing could not be built for the middle
income group by private enterprise.
He proposed that veterans and other
home seekers from nonproflt CO.
operatives or mutual building asso-
Citations.
Warns Veterans.
Mr.. Carr said he hoped no one
felt the industry. was afraid of this
kind of competition, but this sort
of thing is fraught with all kinds OF
dangers"
Before veterans go into that
kind of scheme and before they put
money into the kind of scheme
where man says he can buy a
$4,000 house for $1,000, he had
better take another look" he de-
clared.
Gn the latter statement Mr..
Carr referred to a statement OF
Leo B. Wilson, a fire captain,
that through the proposed Vet
erans' Mutual Housing Associa-
ton he planned to build $4,000
homes at an average cost OF
$4,000
Speaking of future aims Of the
home builders group, Mr.. Carr
urged members to take action ito
try to make it harder for crooks to
get into our business"
Dent to See Builders.
Edward A. Dent, chairman OF the
District Real Estate Commission,
said today he will meet this after
noon with members of the home
builders group ito see how they
feel about amendments to the law
with the idea of Tightening license
regulations"
Mr.. Carr termed housing for vet
Grams 'tour No. problem" and
urged builders to make special at
tempts to build homes in low-cost
brackets. He added he could prove
that apartments could be built and
rented profitably "for little under
$50 month"
At the same time, he said, 1--WE
must not build houses that will turn
into future slums, just because the
demand for our building is so high" ;"
He also urged builders to partici-
pate in slum clearance programs
and suggested the group hire full
time employe ito work with the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission to see that we have
little influence in planning as well
as building, when the time comes"
Mr.. Carr said the additional firms
to provide homes for Williams de-
positors are:
Standard Construction Co., with
30 bungalows being built for the
Defense Heights Co. about 2.6 miles
beyond the Peace Cross on the De-
fense highway. A minimum discount
of $500 will be given, with others
considerably in excess OF $500, &C
cording to need" "
Benin Sims Co., with 10 homes in
Fairfax County. Va. Minimum dis
count of $4O0 will be given for the
homes, ranging in price from $3.50
to $9,750.
F. A. Westenberger, with 10 de-
tached brick houses that will sell In
Arlington between $11 300 and $12,-
$50. Discount of $500 will be given.
Other new officers elected by the
group last night included:
Board of Directors, for two years
Alvin T. Aubinoe, William S. Banks,
Morris Cafritz, Clarke Daniel, Clar-
ence w. Gosnell and Waverly Tay-
lor. A. Milton Talbert was named to
replace Mr.. Brueninger and serve
for one year.
Advisory Board members William
P. Ames, Edward C. Baltz, Joseph
n. Deckman, William L. King,
Maurice R. Palmer, Raymond Tay-
ior and r. D. Watson.
County Thrift Shop Elects
Al n N n 81