Evening star., 1962-09-08
Building
BoIsters
Economy

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the first year on new
furnishings - drapes, car
peting, furniture or OUT
door living accessories.
New residential areas
create the need for new
shopping centerS, for
schools, churches, high
ways, theaters, swimming
pools and libraries.
Thus, home building has
Q bolstering effect on many
other lines Of work. A giant
industry itself, home build
ing 10 second only to food
production and food proc
essing In dollar volume Of
production.
But unlike most other
big industries, home build
ing is not concentrated In
a few great cities but is
important in every COM
munity. It is o local busi-
ness. Studies disclose that
more than half Of every
dollar spent In home con-
struction T EN- aim 0 in the
community.
Construction workers
usually 1--we In the area In
which they work and
spend their money there.
Most materials are pur-
chased locally. The COM
pleted home remains as an
asset to the community for
years to come.
Although home builders
are scattered the length
and breadth OF the country.
they have o bond Of unity
and q means for exchang-
ing shop talk and trade
secrets through member
ship In the National Assoc
iation Of Home Builders.
This is O strong and pro-
gressive trade association
which exists to help Its
members build better homes
for American families ct
the best values possible.
The NAHB believes that
home ownership can and
should be within the reach
Of every American family.
1t maintains that Ameri-
can homes should be well
designed, well constructed
and well located in attrac-
tive communities with edu-
cational, recreational, re-
ligious and shopping facil-
tiles accessible to all.
To help its m e m b ers
achieve these goals, the
NAHB has many activities
radiating from its head
quarters In the National
Housing Center ct 1928 l.
street NV.
One Of the programs of
direct interest to prospec-
tive home owners Is that Of
the NAHB's Research In
stitute. In an effort to
counteract rising land, la
Dor and materials costs,
the NAHB long ago en-
barked on q research pro-
gram to find new and bet
ter construction techniques
that would be time and
money savers.
The research program is
largely responsible for the
fact that the price Of
homes In the la st five
years has remained fairly
stable.
NAHB's Research Insti-
tute also has its own scien-
tific laboratory for basic
studies on home building
methods. standards and
construction. The labora-
tory moved this year to new
and more spacious quar-
ters In q 10,000-square foot
brick building adapted for
research at Rockville, Md.
Another NATIB depart
nent Of direct interest to
home owners Is that of
Community Facilities. It
currently Is alerting home
builders, city planners and
the public generally to the
need for new approaches
to the use Of land to pre-
vent waste and preserve the
beauty Of this great nat
ural resource.
The need for more
homes will start increasing
sharply In 1865, the year
when the so-called World
War II babies will be
marrying in substantial
numbers. They will require
homes at prices within
their reach. The NAHB be-
lieves that If happy an
swers are to be found, new
uses Of residential land
must win acceptance.
The NAHB believes that
the building of good homes
for the people Of this coun-
try is one Of the most i'm
portant occupations of our
society. But the fact that
today's home is q miracle
Of living is no accident. It
is better built, better
equipped and offers more
conveniences and comfort
than ever before because
Of the study, research and
know-how that individual
home builders have put
into their industry
through their association.
But visit some of 1925
new homes and see for
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