The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1947-08-28
NATIONAL EDITORIAL
InA7 * ASSOCIATION
iJff &AEhM Msr&ut
Oh, For a Roof!
ESTABLISHED 1907

We think the Tribume-Herald office hears more
about the current local housing shortage than any
other one business in town. Not a single week passes
that someone doesn't come in about l o'clock Thursday
afternoon and ask, with a glimmer of hope, do you
have any houses or apartments listed for rent this
week?' Usually the answer has to be negative. Then
the unhappy and homeless SAYS "Well, IS there any
thing for sale?' Sometimes there is, but too often the
home-seeker is back again the next week and informs
us sadly that the price seems too unreasonably high.
There are several progressive citizens who have
recently started or purchased businesses here who must
leave their families in another town because there is
no place for them in Hardin. We heard of a young
couple recently with a basement apartment and a baby.
The basement does not agree with the infant, and the
doctor has ordered a different abode, one above
ground, but there is none to be found. A new teacher
came into our office last week to ask about the pos
sibilities of making her home here. She would like to
feel established and a member of the community be-
fore school starts. She points out that you can't teach
school unless you have somewhere to sleep, and she
would be much happier if she could have more than
just a room.
We realize that other communities are just as
short on housing as we are, but we've travelled quite a
lot around Montana this summer, and 1T seems to us
that there is less building going on in Hardin than in
any other town of it's size that we have seen in this
part of the state. Wed like to know why.
Building costs are undoubtedly excessive. There is
no question about that. Every poor soul who investi-
gates the possibility Of putting up his own home is
staggered by the estimates. Meanwhile, old houses sell
for prices that seem little short of higway robbery.
We've done some investigating, mostly through friends
and acquaintance who are searching desperately for
living space, and we are amazed and just a bit scandal
lied at the amount asked. In two instances, houses
which were offered to us before the var were involved,
and the prices were about three times as much. 1t seems
almost incredible.
We do feel that the problem is too large for any
one individual to handle, but we wonder if a united
community effort could accomplish anything. We
think this is a problem that would prove a real chal-
LANCE to our civic organizations.
Other communities have found various ways Of
obtaining more homes. In several cases veterans Or
CARNATIONS, with the cooperation of other agencies,
have had outstanding success, by such methods as buy
ing large plots of land, standardizing floor plans, and
contracting for building materials in large quantities.
Rome was not built in a day-and neither will
enough homes for all who need them here be construct
ed. So far, however, no one has made any real effort
to do much about the problem.
We don't see how Hardin can grow into the pros
porous, progressive city that it could become unless we
find a place for our newcomers to hang their hats.
You'll find many uses for old newspaper. You con buy them