Evening star., 1951-09-12
Area Housing
Squeeze Acute
For Military
Rental Allowances
$50 Below Cost
Of Accommodations


Of Accommodations
The housing shortage for service
personnel is about as acute here
now as 1t can get without forcing
new arrivals to live in the streets.
Specialists seeking to alleviate
the shortage are hanging on in
the hope the pace has slackened
now that Labor Day has passed.
The colonel's lady is faring lit
tie better than Judy O'Grady in
a search for homes on a rising
market where rental allowances
average about 25 per cent below
the going price of available ac-
commodations-if they are avail
able.
One Of the busiest officers in
town is 1t. Comdr. Paul L. Dona-
hoe, head of the Joint Armed
Forces Housing Office. whose fam
lily has been in the real estate
business in Washington for the
last go years.
Were just managing to get by
now." the young officer said. If
things get any worse. or even fail
to improve, we'll soon be out Of
rooms, apartments and homes for
incoming families"
Little Worse in Wartime.
While the situation is not quite
as bad as it was during the lat
ter part of the war, it is the most
acute yet to develop here in peace
time, Comdr. Donahoe said.,
We're getting plenty of help from
Washingtonians, but We need lot
more" |
A typical problem today was
that of young Air Force sergeant
Just back from overseas to learn
his youngest child. 3year-old.
had developed polio. His doctor
told him to find a place in the
away from other children, /
but he could not afford an auto
mobile on top of other expenses,
and committing distances were too
great to the nearest available
house.
Generals or admirals arriving
for temporary duty are scarcely
better off, with Bachelor Officers
Quarters filled to capacity and
hotels unwilling to book guests
FOR longer than a few days. There
are waiting lists of up to 18 months
at the small developments built
for families of non-commissioned
officers near Boiling Air Force
Base. Anacostia Naval Air Sta
ton and at Arlington Farms, in
nearby Virginia.
Acute Around Andrews.
An especially acute shortage
exists around Andrews Air Force
Base, whose personnel is being
enlarged. An overflow into trailer
camps was checked by county sani-
tary regulations. Families wish
ing to live in trailers are hamp-
cred by these regulations up to 10
or IS miles from the center Of
town, and sites further away often
lack water, sewage facilities and
electricity.
Conditions are somewhat more
favorable around Fort Belvoir,
due to the fact that many troops
there are on field training, with
relatively short tours of duty,
Most families accompanying the
engineers in training, realize they
must rough 1t if they are to re-
main.
Non-commissioned officers in
the lower grades, drawing up to
SGT rental allowance, find they
have to go 20 or Is per cent higher
10 find the kind of accommoda-
ions their families are accustomed
TO, Comdr. Donahoe said.
A one-room apartment in the
Districts newer buildings rents
for around $125 a month unfur-
but most have waiting
lists or offer only furnished quar-
ters at a cost prohibitive to in
come groups under that of gen.
erals or admirals.
Nearby Prices Lower.
Prices are lower in nearby
and Virginia, and for
this reason there are fewer va
even for men willing to
commute long distances. Two
bedroom apartments are almost
to find. it was said,
while three-bedroom quarters may
rent for as much as $235 a month.
although the top allowance Is
only $3.50.
A three-bedroom unfurnished
home may rent for $140, plus the
cost of electricity. water, heat and
telephone. For some reason, it
was said, row houses or others in
ow-cost groups bring rents as
nigh or only slightly under those
'eceived in more desirable COM
nunities.
Military personnel feel the civil
ian has an advantage because he
S on the ground, and not subject
% orders. He receives preference,
even if he arrives to work at a
temporary" job. because land
ords have learned that most Fed
,ral employees settle down here.
Nevertheless, an estimated 90
Der cent of service families as
signed to the Washington area re-
main at least three years.
Washington residents are being
Urged to enlarge their facilities or
,rovide available space wherever
,ossible. Even rooms in fairly
convenient locations are at q
,remium.
Probably more than half Of
Military families arriving here are
ocated through the Joint Hous-
ng group, which has branch
ffices at the Pentagon, the Navy
department. and Boiling.