Evening star., 1952-08-31
drain the crawl space. This is a
flagrant violation of plumbing
regulations.

drain the crawl space. This is a
fagrant violation Of plumbing
regulations.
No Basement Screens.
z. The Veterans Administra-
tion file and the contract between
the purchaser and the seller clear
ly indicate that screens should be
provided for the basement win
dows. Screens have not been pro-
vided for the basement windows
and the builder has indicated re-
luctance to comply with his OBJ
legation to furnish screens.
8. A serious condition exists in
certain parts of the project as a
result of poor engineering, i'm
proper grading and sodding. Fro
sion is very serious in certain
parts of the project. In spite OF
the rolling terrain which tends to
create an erosion condition, the
builder requested to be allowed to
deviate from the original specifi-
cations which required that he sod
90 feet behind each house and
that a change be authorized allow
ing him to sod to a depth of 10
feet in the rear of each house
After considerable controversy
and confusion on the subject. the
Veterans Administrator granted
a request for substitution with the
following condition: 1T is under
stood, however, that all terraces
and excessive slopes will be sod
ded." Inspection of the project
reveals that the builder has not
complied with the condition es-
tablished by the Veterans Ad-
ministration and apparently the
Veterans Administration had NJ
disposition to require him tx
8. The Veterans Administra.
ton approved a substitution in the
framing plan, allowing the sub.
stitution of 2x10s for 2x12s which
was originally specified. No cor.
responding reduction was made il
the certificate of reasonable value
as a result of this deviation. A
number Of violations of minimum
construction requirements were
observed in the framing opera.
ton.
Waivers Not justified.
In examining the files of tht
veteran purchasers in Templetor
Knolls it was discovered that thu
compliance inspector noted some
Of the irregularities outlined above
and certain other irregularitie.
peculiar to the specific house II
his final inspection report. Il
was found that an official of thu
regional Office had marked
through the noncompliance item.
and indicated that they would bt
waived. The regional Office failec
to justify its action in waving
these noncompliance.
The deviations and substitutions
authorized by the Veterans Ad.
|miniStration accumulated approxi'
mate&y $500 advantage per uni
to the builder. In addition tt
the deviations and substitution.
authorized by the Veterans Ad.
ministration, the builder ac.
|cumulated an additional advan.
tage by failing to insure salts.
factory workmanship and interior
finish. ..
A study of the price increass
pattern in Templeton Knolls in.
dicates that the price of the basic
house was increased during a Is
month period by $4,000 and the
price of the basement was doubled
over an 11-month period or in.
creased from $3.50 to $500. The
Veterans Administration granted
a Is per cent price increase on the
basic house and 100 per cent price
increase on the basement during 6
period in which the price indie,
advanced approximately II pei
cent. The file of the Veterans
Administration does not have ade.
quate justification for these price
increases. In most instances th'
only justification appearing is :
hand-written note initiated by al
official Of the Appraisal Section.
Following the investigation ane
hearings by this committee, thu
Central Office of the Veterans
Administration caused a complete
survey of the project to be made
and suspended further financing
on all non-completed units. Thi
committee expects the Centra
Office Of the Veterans Admins
tration to refuse to further
finance uncompleted units in thi.
|project or other projects contem.
plated by the builder of Temple.
ton Knolls If adequate steps are
not taken to correct the deficien.
eies existing in Templeton Knolls