Evening star., 1952-07-15
Housing Probers
Turn Quiz Today
On Lane Manor
ChiIIum Development
Builders to Reply
To GI Complaints

A4S AS0AAS 1NA0AAOA ACNC40RAAAVlAO
in Prince Georges County is next
on the list of Washington area
projects to come under fire of o
special House committee probing
the veterans housing situation
here.
The committee, headed by Rep .
league. Democrat. of
Texas. scheduled a quiz today Of
the builders Of the development
on University lane of Twenty
fourth avenue, Chillum.
Victor F. Mariani, president Of
Lane Manor Corp, and Rocco
M. Pomponio, secretary-treasurer,
have been called to testify. .
Oliver Meadows, committee
counsel, said the committee has;
received some 80 complaints from
the 180-home project. The de-.
velopment consists of 180 de-.
tached brick homes. in the $12, 900
Ito $4,000 price class.
Roxboro Complaints Heard.
Yesterday the committee heard
complaints against the Roxboro
development, near Rockville, Md.
presented by two veteran pur-
chasers of homes in that project.
They said they got houses that
were cheaper substitutions for the
model homes they thought they
were buying.
The committee questioned two
Veterans Administration officials
closely about their handling of
the Roxboro homes and the gen.
eral operations Of the VA regional
housing Office. On the stand were
Morgan B. Callahan, VA regional
loan guarantee officer. and
Stephen Barker. former VA re-
gional chief appraiser.
Ernest Cook. builder of the
Roxboro development. made q
strong defense of his houses.
He pointed out that the first 18
houses were appraised at just un-
der $4,000 in March. 1850, and
that he completed and sold them
Ia year later at that price.
II never asked for and never
was granted an increase in the
price of those first houses" he de.
clared.
Cites Indication Of Value.
He said the houses in his new
development. however. sold for
around $4,000. He said one of
the original houses recently sold
for $12 900. which was an indica.
ton Of the value received by the
Original buyer. ~
'T'll repay them every cent they
put in those houses (the $4,000
ones) because I know. and they
know, they can resell now for
$12.0 900 or BETTER" Mr.. Cook de-
clared.
The committee pointed its
Questions toward the changes
made in the houses after the
model houses had been used to
sell them. Mr.. Meadows esti-
mated the changes saved tho
builder some $500 because Of
cheaper substitutions.
Mr.. Cook denied this. He said
that. even If the substitutions
had saved him 5000, he had put
in at least $500 worth of extras
the specifications did not call for.
Included Other Items.
He said these items included q
washer in the sale price Of the
house. individually designed over
hangs, knotty pine paneling
around the fireplace and thicker
sheetrock than was called for.
"The basic question is whether
they got dollar for dollar value"
Mr.. Cook said. II say they did"
'The basic question is did the
veteran get the house he thought
he was buying" Mr.. Meadows
lcOmmenteQ.
| Mr.. Cook said there were
changes in the specifications be-
cause the Korean War made this
necessary when it was impossible
to get certain materials. He de.
MED this was to his profit as the
costs were the same often.
Il To-
saw anything wrong with giving
the veteran the plans and specifi-
cations and then telling him Of
changes. Mr.. Cook said he saw
!, no objection to that procedure.
He warned that the committee or
the VA would find itself in the
. position Of refereeing many dis
,|putes between buyers and builders.
lhowever