Evening star., 1949-02-20
Dc. Delegation Of 70
May Play Big Part al
HomeB Builders Farley
By Robert J. Lewis
Sfar Staff Correspondenf

CHICAGO, Feb. ia record
delegation from tho Washington
area is expected to play an i'm
portant part in shaping the policy
of the fifth annual convention of
the National Association Of Home
Builders opening here tomorrow.
More than 10 builders, mort
gage finance officials and mate
rials suppliers from the District
have made reservations for the
convention. A few already have
arrived here to participate in pre-
liminary meetings which opened
Thursday. Most Washington dele
gates are expected tomorrow
morning.
William s. Banks, president Of
the District group, says Washing
ton builders have two main con-
vention purposes.
"The first is to get the picture
on financing for the year ahead"
he said, land the second is to
find out as much as We can about
how to build the ultimate in
livable low-cost houses"
Financing Bottleneck Cited.
The leader of the Washington
delegation made clear he be-
lieves housing production this year
will drop off sharply unless So
called financing bottleneck" can
be cleared up. Related to the
financing problem and just as i'm
portant, in his opinion, is the need
for builders to shift into produc-
ton of lower-priced houses and
apartments.
The convention will bring to
Chicago virtually all the top Gov
ernment housing officials, as well
as experts from private industry.
The conventions keynote ad-
dress will be delivered Monday
by Edward r. Carr, Washington
builder who is past national
president Of the association. Mr..
Carr, a member of the conven-
ton committee, Is also q member
of the National Executive Com
mittee, a permanent national di-
rector and vice chairman of the
Slum Clearance Committee.
Clark Daniel, another Washing
ton builder, will serve as modera-
tor Of panel discussion on
Building Methods That Cut
Costs" Also on this panel is Vic
tor Adler of the Federal Housing
Administration.
Raymond Foley to Speak.
Among Government officials who
will speak will be Raymond M.
Foley. administrator of the Hous-
ing and Home Finance Agency;
Franklin D. Richards, commits
sioner Of the Federal Housing
Administration; Clyde L. Powell.
FILA assistant commissioner for
Rental Housing and Curt Mack,
FILA assistant commissioner for
underwriting.
Other officials who have a place
on the program include T. B. King,
director of the Veterans Admin
istration's Loan Guaranty Section;
Victor c. Adler, an official of FHA's
underwriting section; Laurence
Shuman, Housing and Home FL
nance Agency official; H. Leland
Smith of FILA; Carl G. Lans. di-
rector of the Housing and Home
Finance Agency's technical serv-
Ice department and Richard j.
Gray, president of the AFL Build
ing and Construction trades coun-
Gil.
Perry Brown. commander OF the
American Legion also is scheduled
to speak.
Washingtonians who will play a
part in convention group delibera-
tions, in addition to Mr.. Carr and
Mr.. Daniel, include:
Waverly Taylor, a national di-
rector Of the association; Clarence
w. Gosnell, former president OF
the Washington association. and
a national director; MIR. Banks,
president of the Washington AS
sociation, and a national director;