xt759z90cb12 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt759z90cb12/data/mets.xml  United States Housing Authority 1940 v.: ill.; 29-40 cm. UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Library Program libraries and the Federal Information Preservation Network. Call Number FW 3.7: 1/27 journals English Washington, D.C.: Federal Works Agency, U.S. Housing Authority: For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Works Progress Administration Housing Publications United States Housing Authority -- Periodicals Public housing -- United States -- Periodicals Public Housing: Weekly News from American Communities Abolishing Slums and Building Low-Rent Housing February 13, 1940 text Public Housing: Weekly News from American Communities Abolishing Slums and Building Low-Rent Housing February 13, 1940 1940 2019 true xt759z90cb12 section xt759z90cb12 t L: x 1/2/ 4:...
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Vol. 1, No. 27 Federal Works Agency, U. S. Housing Authority—Nathan Straus, Administrator Februar 3'1940

. , . . u - 77
Unfilled Loan Applicatlons Survey Graphic Devotes Complete Issue
(”.189 commun‘t‘eSForm To Housmg—Prominent Writers Contribute
Billion Dollar Backlog
_ . . The February issue of “Survey monopolistic practices in the con-
. More than one bthh dollars In Uh" Graphic” is subtitled “Homes—Front striiction industry is discussed by
filled requests for USHA loans 'are Line of Defense for American Life,” John H. Crider in “Breaking a Bottle-
reposmg 1h.the files of the Uhlted and is completely devoted to housing. neck.”
" States Housmg Authority because Of Third in the magazine’s “Calling “The great opportunity of invest—
lack Of funds. America” Series, this well—organized, nient housing will be found in build—
The requests are from 189 commu- excellently illustrated, 100—page pub- ing such communities” as Radburn
hltles 1h 32 Stafies, the DIStrlch 0f lication was planned as an anthology and Greenbelt, declares Clarence S.
Columbia, Hawaii, and Puerto RICO“ of the best current housing thought. Stein in his article, “Investment
The total ofthe loans asked by According to the foreword, it “deals Housing Pays.” Mr. Stein believes
. these communities ls $1’006’600’000’ with land and buildings as stuff of that large-scale investment housing
. Whlell represents 90 percent 0f the defense for the households of the should be developed to serve the
estimated total development cost 0f United States.” “great middle economic group” in the
. the proposed pI’OJeCtS‘ Thls total ex- A score of well-known writers, Nation.
' ceeds by more than $200,000,000 the either housers or experts in related Edith Elmer Wood presents the
$800’000’000 additional loan fUhd for fields, have contributed. Guest-edi— case for slum clearance and low—rent
the USHA program WhICh would be tor Albert Mayer has assembled arti- housing in “That ‘One-Third of a
authorized by the bhl now pending. cles by such diversely qualified au- Nation" ” and points with pride to the
Rural and suburban . communities thorities as Edith Elmer Wood, Lewis record of USHA’s first 2 years.
and small towns and Clues! aswell as Mumford, Henry A. Wallace, Carl In “I Visit A Housing Project,”
large industrial and commercial cen— Feiss, Dorothy Canfield, Harold S. Dorothy Canfield relates how her
ters, are represented. They include Buttenheim, Benton MacKaye, fears were set at rest by a trip
all parts 0f the WWW, from Massa- Charles Abrams, Jacob Crane, and through the Newtowne Court Project
, chusetts to California, and from Catherine Bauer. in Cambridge, Mass.
Michigan to Texas. Double—page photographic displays Planning is emphasized in almost
. ‘. . . . include: “The Life and Death Curve every article in the issue, but “One
tu’gilehlsallhs fliiiilégiuofii: 111:: of An American City,” “The Penalty Nation Iiidivisible,” by Carl Feiss, is
assembling as muoch IISHA and of Slums—And No One Can Escape exclus1vely devoted to the past, pres-
general hgusino' literature as possi- It,” and “How Have We Been Hous— ent, and future of the American plan-
ble. Local hoiisind officials there ing That f0ne-Th1rd’?” ning movement. “Planning is a cold
realizing that schozls and libraries . Catherine Bauer and Jacob Crane, word,” he comments. “What we are
. are among the most important pub- in the first article, entitled “What interested in is 11v1ng, opportunity,
lic information channels have been Every Family Should Have,” analyze well-being, freedom. . . . We must
eager to furnish the material. housmg requirements (personal and ask the experts for facts . . . but we
Reports from all over the coun— national) and set forth an inclusive mustn’t stop there. . . . We must
try indicate a persistent popular list of “standards,” with spec1a1 ref- understand, then we must see the
demand for more facts about pub— erence to public housmg. problem through.” .
. . , , , .. .- In “Growing Pains,” Raymond V. Benton MacKaye, in “Region Build-
110 housmg. -—-»PUBLIC HOUSING w111 . . . . . . ,,

. carry announcements of publica— Parsons speculates on the possibility ing in River Valleys, favors slum
tions and currgnt . 'Pmfl afinew materials and methods in the clearance by floods (when necessary)
ture b—fgga ..a ... ous1ng industry. in Biblical fashion.

' ' Thurman Arnold’s crusade against (Continued on page 2)
. 1‘
UK LlERARlES

 l
o o o The things which must be done to :
Congressmnal Leaders and USHA 0ff1c1als expedite the mi program, M 1
Add N 71 P bl. H . C f Keyserling said, are: “General ex— ‘
ress at 11 1C OuSlng 0n erence pansion of the USHA program by
Congress, as present funds are al- 5
The National Public Housing 0011- tem in order to assure more complete ready committed; the adoption of an . .
ference, Inc., at its ninth annual meet— autonomy for the local housing au- amendment suggested last year which L
ing, held recently in Washington, em- thorities in designing, building, and would permit home ownership as well
phasized the need for expansion of operating their projects. as rental occupancy; and the adoption
the USHA program. Public housing “Second, each public housing proj— of an amendment suggested last year
should be accelerated, not retarded, ect must be made an integral part of under which, with the cooperation of
according to the conference. comprehensive plans for general city the Department of Agriculture, the
President Roosevelt, in a letter to rebuilding. USHA could extend aid even into
Miss Helen Alfred, Director of the “Third, the actual per family dollar rural areas where there are 110 county
Conference, noted the growing inter— cost of the subsidy must be further housing authorities and 110 State
est in rural housing. “The program reduced. This item is most funda— enabling legislation.”
for helping urban families of very mental. Maxwell H. Tretter, who is in
low income to obtain release from the “Fourth, in a number of ways the charge of the legal work of the New
slums, though still young, will be technique of housing design must be York City Housing Authority, spoke ,
given even better balance by the de— further advanced. on the various housing programs now
velopment of the still younger pro— “Fifth, we must greatly increase under way in that city—Federal,
gram to help rural families afflicted our knowledge of management. State, and municipal. “New York
by the same evil conditions,” he said. “Sixth, the present housing pro- City is, in a sense, the guinea pig of
The 2—day conference featured ses- gram must be expanded to include public housing experiments,” he de—
sions on “Planning and Executing rural housing.” clared. “Let us hope that from this
Projects in Public Housing,” “Loans Senator Robert F. Wagner of New welter of methods and experiences
for Self-Liquidating Public—Coopera- York and Nathan Straus, USHA Ad— there will emerge that knowledge and
five Housing Projects,” “More Hous— ministrator, were the featured speak— wisdom which are so essential for the
ing and More Federal Subsidies ers at the dinner meeting on the first success of any human enterprise.”
Needed,” “State and Rural Loans and day of the conference. Their speeches
Subsidies for Housing,”and “Rehous— were broadcast to the Nation over the Survey Graphic . .
ing Rural Workers—Industrial and Mutual Network. (Continued from page 1)
, Agricultural.” Presiding at the va- Senator Wagner emphasized the The Secretary of Agriculture,
rious sessions of the conference were: low COSt Of the USHA program to the Henry A. W allace, contributes an e10-
Dr. Harry W. Laidler, Mr. Louis H. taxpayers. He went Oh to SEW, ”If quent plea for soil conservation in
Pink, Mr. Irving Brant, and Miss Federal subsidies are stopped, the “The War at Our Feet,” pointing out
Helen Alfred. whole program StODS- If more are that the future of the American home
Jacob Crane, Assistant Adminis— authorized and the construction loan depends upon the future of the Amer—
trator, USHA, featured speaker at fund is doubled, the expanded 131‘0- ican earth.
the first session, pointed out that al— gram Will rescue 2,000,000 persons Decentralization is the theme of
though the program’s achievements from the slums.” David Cushman Coyle’s “Back to the
are significant, at least six things M1“. Straus summarized the accom— Land?” Mr. Coyle stresses the re- f
must be done if it is “to mature and plishments of the USHA program in sults of technological unemployment
expand as it properly should.” terms of costs, rents, and slum clear— and dislocation of population as vital
“First of all, the USHA must sim— ance. “By any measure that can be factors in the housing problem. “By
plify its present administrative sys— applied,” he said, “public housing is forming decentralized, workable com—
an established success. We have ap— munities of sufficient size, . . . it will
CORRECTION. In PUBLIC HOUs— plied the test of low construction cost be possible to bring millions of people
. . . and public housmg has measured up w1th1n range of the c1v111zed serv1ces.
ING. No. 25, the acc1dental omiss1on . . . . .
. . . to it. We have applied the test of Lew1s Mumford furnishes a philo—
of a line of copy resulted in an in- ] . . . . . . .fl .
,_ 1 , ow lents. Public housmg has stood sophical summaly to the entlie issue
c011ect statement on page ”011“.“ that test. We have applied the test with “Social Purposes And New
2’ concemmg USHA conStl'uCtlon f 1 m limination Public housin Plans” “Th 1" d f ' i
costs. The statement should have 9 su . e . ' ,, g ' e pe 10 0 expans1on S
,,. . . . 1s eliminating the slums. over; and we have now to create the
read, in several ploJQCtS upon At the luncheon meeting on the sec- physical structures and the mode of
which construction contracts have . . . .
. . . 0nd day of the conference, Leon H. life appropriate to a period of stabil- . .
been awaided, the aveiage net con— K .1- . D t Ad . . t“ t . 't d 1 . T . k-
truction cost )er unit is about eysei mg, epu y minis 1a 01 1 y an cu tuie. oday we aie ma-
S ,, 1 and Acting General Counsel of USHA, mg the mold in which the future w111
$2’000‘ discussed rural housing. be set. . . .”
2

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0n the 582-un1t Valleyv1ew Homes Progject in Cleveland, . _ . 5 2; _e’ 3-;;;‘,,_;-;3;:. =

, progress of the work has kept steadily ahead of schedule. ‘ ' " 2,?

. . . The 71 two-story buildings, central heating plant, and com- 2,” p , , J 4' - ' ‘
, bined admlnlstration and community buildlng will be com- a,” 2...; ' 2 ' if'ififffiiij; * ‘
i pleted by March 18, or Within 300 calendar days from the w” ~- 732; .9 i1; 715?”. q .

start of work. Much of the credit for this successful J.“ “'35; f" “322’ 2} ,y ,
accomplishment goes to the general contractor for his early , 2, lj h, 2 2,. ‘3; 7;] 5 ‘g. '- ’ ”s ”-1
de01s10n to “mechamze” the work as thoroughly as poss1ble. .' i ,, ,2 2 2 , ‘ 2 . ' .:
The pictures on this page illustrate a few of the methods of ’ ”’42, , , ’ " , , 2% 5 _ . _ .- ~ LEN mg
mechanization employed by the contractors on the prOJect. . q 2 .‘ ‘ a” i ' 3% a ' g
,' 3 i ,y l“ , _ .‘3 \, ‘1 d“: (:73?
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, ‘. \ , . A small drum mixer was used for mixmg masonry mortar at a
\ ~\\ . central plant on the site. Mortar was then dumped into a box
l , l‘ ’ 5Q . \\\\\ on a two—wheel tractor trailer and hauled to the mason’s line.
,4!";._‘.‘:;':“:.,22:;-227'.- .3 , . ' . . V 19%;}; , V . .3 g i
» ::::...:=rtzgf.- ~ v2. - ~ " * ’ ’ Mfg " . ”if“? 5”“ ‘ 5 ‘ ‘ 7,97
5k 2'; ”J .' " A l ”’ “ $2-.;3”212 % H I (V MM
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“W“? . \ ' " Wfi‘ - / 2‘“ . ’ ’7 . . , z . . '
a . .2 , *2:2; . ""‘"““* '- 7' -'l'.-:?§3::"€-..-:-.I-il‘x ~ ‘ ., , ' fi’ 55% i I “*3 4* “' ' 1i; i;
" 30%? , ' " ' we“ . , », " 1‘ “c“?! .4
3/” - Z “a. ‘2 ' > '» 2““ " ‘ ,, .. ,4 ’
. . e‘xé‘fjfiy £3! 5 . .f" ,2. .. . . .zwm 32,513.10“; ...‘.;.::::31 H WW": ”/ 755:”; (3:52),, 2W/M“; h; ’2’;
fwg‘ - , m “' «We ”Ei'. ‘
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All members of wood trusses for hip roofs were cut and assembled on the ground by use of Electric powered finishing machines were
electric powered saws and templates. After assembly they were raised to position, four used for 433,000 square feet of floors. Elec-
at a time, by crawler crane. One carpenter at each end and one at ridge line rapidly placed tricity was Widely used. Poles carried plug
each truss in position. The crane followed with sheeting after each roof was trussed. boxes for both 110- and 220-volt equipment.
l , ' . /'
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3f ,- . 2:\. 5% x, Vtgzaeéyw 555.5%. mg . _ ' 5 “K. 3 .r j I
7 H ~~b%“§§§£r@,g«$fl£ V‘N f"- ‘e‘. \ 2 £35 -: g i 3‘ 3 I? l ” r U . h
‘. ,3», ”*3 9W 3-3.;- .. 3 " " “ ~' “ " 3’"- vef' ’ 5" ,1 '
twad‘fiffi ”am“ ”$.22”! g '1) 8‘. M” .Wg‘w ‘ ‘ 3‘ »
.. a... w" ,2... s. a, yr . :~ ' - ,-
va “’M~2 . ea,» W ,2- - . 3* 3 2. ~ x . -} , 2, ~.
4%a%§‘ffi,‘.§m, ”' ' A l 1!, I ’é ‘
«game... 9 ‘g “I” * ‘ ‘ 7/ ' , ’1: i
.‘ 1 @«»~5.€‘}333m%, .. ~ \2‘ .v .. r ' 1“ , I, l
:. , . V ”"%%’W -"/x”§?’$t%§2§géyf§h> é:-“§"l}’:2f2;'flfi 3,..,,2-.;/.E.., M, f ,; ., . My}. ,s, -- / .1 M f ,’ ‘, \ ‘
’ ”defevg'fiiffifirfifir3ww .51..» w ,. , 3 3 «is» ‘ “' e‘ ’- , fl 1 .
q- , ;,w“"%1m‘se“”,iua 3‘9"" e s, A *‘y‘ c:
' '~ ‘ , : w>~tw~wfl§ae~ v; 3 2 . x3255; 32.2%,»; firm q, :3 3" «w ,2 -,
, ,’ 9 .2 ”-73% ’57g‘ffl/W/9étg,“i¥:‘«'%351’?3*§{3"‘.tgj‘ikvm’rrvé .. “*K’J"§7mfi> 4 ‘ , “ ..,,. 2 ‘ M .,.,~ . ,
- , . ' ., ,EEW”%.%«*1~.““‘W‘eer'mé‘ezm ’ ,\ .‘xm‘
’ 4/ ,’ /”2f?*:a«%~f,r;2u“we5”% 53%”: 34/ “b: 5%,;‘23; 3. 1;, ‘ 3; . ”WWMM, fl
, unfitmmaarmsmzfim Magma‘e r ~ 2 -. ’ 2.. . M .. .
For shallow trench digging, a small trench machine was used (above). For deep trenches Cranes picked up and deposited all flat-roof.
a crawler crane with bucket was used in both digging and back-filling. The project was framing, whlch, after cuttlng by electric
equipped with 15 tractors of same make, with 25 trailers. These were put to various uses. saws, had been hauled to build1ng by tractor.
3

 n I 1 c o 0
Schedule of Bid Opening Dates Policy and Procedure Bulletins Now to be Printed—
E
li‘ili [it"l': li"‘tl N l" Dil'ifl'tl . . ' '

, W .,.‘l:::.:‘.‘ not“: First Three Will be Available by Middle of Month
;\l(‘(l 'Oli' ~7- 1)____._,, 276 3* 7~4ll . . . . . .
Raftin'lfn.“ (31(1'_éfi1)____ 701 244,40 USHA Policy and Procedure Bulle- The Bulletin was reVised to facul—
gtll‘itilIl/Q‘l'lc (yogagw-u-i $38 301018 tins, formerlymimeog‘l.'aphedr are now tate more ready 1"eference, to add and .

ll (‘ 1 U“ .‘r‘ 7,777.; .1-” _ ." - . . . ,. . . .
“Mme“. C‘s3_1sh\)_ 108 3115,10 being printed 111 standard format by i'ev1se deniiitions, and to incorporate
pajwh, (p “fighlyun 210 3 15,40 the Government Printing Office. The two addeiida. The definitions relat—
illicidfllliii‘idBiilfiifi72L“ 389 3*}918 first one to be printed, Acldendimz 2 iiig to rooms were revised, and the
15. ‘* .5' ~ ,,_,,,,,, o -75 of . . . . . . .
Lexington (Kyrels-l)», 86 3710740 to Bulletin No. 4, Development Cost definitions relating to dens1ty and
Lex‘llgt‘m (1‘33’4’2Lm 20“ 3 “5‘40 of A Low—Rent Housing Project, is coverage were added.
3.1;":‘(’)1:11l(’1(“i\\1;?‘1:31‘721} 728 3:33:12? already available. Two others, Bul— The M (tnctgem eni Program de-
Qmalia (Noni-91 72).“: 272 2227,40 letin No. 17 (revised), Definition of scribes the procedures for the formu—
L}§I‘I'l‘l‘l’j_’i"tlI‘HEIQfEE;5) 338 33:18:18 Terms, and Bulletin No. 32, The Man- lation and execution of management
Wmt Pm“ lie-ion agement Progrmn, will be off the programs by local authorities for the '

(Flown), ,, 120 34710740 presses by the middle of February. first and subsequent budget periods.
,Thm is many a 3mm 1mm, bcmm W Mm mm: Addendum 2 to Bulletin No. 4 is a The Bulletin desc11bes a management
*‘lldbldolrnllle reply to those local housmg authori- program as “a statement of major

”q" A In...“ a] an "”1 ties who have asked if the cost of pur— policies and procedures with respect
VUIIII IOOULO nauUL all“ . . . - .
H .n ,, chasnig and operating an automobile to tenant selection, tenant relations,
0us1 g is eligible for inclusion in the develop- operation and maintenance, personnel .
Labor and Housing, recently pub- ment cost of )rojects. The answer and business administration and re—
1
lished and now ready for distribution, is no, unless the operation of the auto- lated matters in connection with the
is the sixth in a series of leaflets ex— mobile will promote economy in proj- administration of a project, including
plaining the USHA program and its ect development. rental schedules, operating budgets,
place in the national economy. Definition of Terms (revised) lists and estimates of average annual iii—

The new leaflet makes clear Why aiid defines 18 terms commonly used come and expense.”
and in what manner labor supports in USHA documents. Six of the The appendices to The Manage— ‘
housing. It reviews labor’s housing terms refer to rojects three to ment Pro ram will be hel fill in es—

, g
actIVltles Slnce 1934, when “the coun- rooms, three to rents and rental tablishing annual budget periods and
tl‘Y’S first labor housing committee values, three to contributions and in scheduling initial occupancy. Ap— . -
was organized by trade unions in donations, and three to density and pendix C lists 12 types of USHA ,
Philadelphia.” Copies may be 013- coverage. services available to local authorities.
tained without charge from the USHA C t t. R t
Informational Service Division. ons rue Ion epor
. . Weekly Data
Construction Report AnalySls . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ _
. .
lt _m \\ eel: ended \\ eel: ended Percentage

During. the VVGEk ended February 2 L February 2, lllili January 26, 193“ chance
only 0118 118W project—442 units 111 Number of projects under construction,._,,, __,,,,,,, 167 166 +0.60
Y , y _ ' _ Number of dwellings under construction,.,,,,,,,. 66,340 65,898 +0.67
he“ Hay en, Conn. went Into con Total estimated over-allcost1 of new housing,____, $297,901,000 $295,939,000 +0.66
Stl‘uCthH. The average over—all COSt Average over—all cost 1 of new housing per unitds". $4,491 $4,491 No change

n ' .. ‘ , Avera~e net construction cost '3 “er unitfinniflfisu, m2 820 m2 820 i No change
01 new housmg per unit and the aver— 5 " l " ’ i * ’ i
. . KR
a ‘e net construction cost )er unit on
g . 7 1 Summary of USHA Program as of January 31, 1940
the new prOJect were so close to the

. . . . “a

natlona] average that 1135 addltlon 1m” Projects unllur Projects iinilor Projects l‘il’lllg

, loan contract construction tenanteil

made no change 111 the averages for 4‘7 fi»‘ 71sfik‘,‘s_ fin;

. ' . . . . ' Number of projects,,,__,,, ,,,,,,,,,_,,,,,__,,,,_t,,,,,,,_.,___ 346 167 14

all 1310,]eCi/S undel CODStl UCtIOD' Number of looal authorities representedfi,“,,,____,,, 147 100 10

111 the first 1110111311 Of 1940 only four Number of States represented,H,,A,,,,,_,,,,,___,,,__,,,,, 3 32 3 27 7

. ' , ‘ . _ Number of loan contracts/m,,,,,,,___,,.__1_,,,,”m"... 213 _s,_

118W pl OJQCtS have gone 11113900118121 LIC Value of loan contracts/,7 7,,,___,,,,___,,,,,,, ,,,,,____,,~__ $581,776,000 ,,,,,,,,,,,,____,,, ,,,_,,_,,,,s__-_,

tion. There were no additional loan Number of dwelling units in projects__,,,,,___,,__,,.,,, 129,931 66,340 8,905

. , - ,- Number of dwelling units completed,,,_.,s___._,,,,__., ,,,____.,.__.,,,.. ,___,,,,_,,,,,,,__. 6,795

contiacts Signed (11”ng the'month. Total estimated development cost 4 $646,569,000 $323,800,000 $45,944,000

There are now 14 prOJects being ten— Total estimated over-all cost of new housing 1 $592,246,000 $297,901,000

. _ a

anted, as agalnSt 12 at the end Of IIncludes: (a) Buildingtheliouse,includingstriicturalcostsandplumbing,heating,endelectriealinstallation; (b) dwelling

1939 During the month almost 3 equipment, architects' 1905, local administrative expenses. financial charges during construction, and contingency expenses;

. . . _ (C) land for present development; (I!) nomlwelling facilities. . . .
thousand (I‘velhng unlts “Vere added 3 The cost of building the house, including structural, plumbing, heating, and electrlcnl costs.
‘ _ . glut-luillng the Ifilstrltct 1of Collumbia, l’iierttothcoi aifid Harwell. d 1 1_ 1 . Id l b .1 1_ (1 ti 1; H d .
“ " “011(QSOV0r-El COS 0 H ‘\\' 1 US! 2' 13005 0 urc 1351K an (OmOlS llflgO $11111 Ul(lTlgS all 10 COS 0 an
to the total 111 pi OJects being tenanted. bought for future devclopmpgt 0 n. D us P g
\
Publication is approved by the Director, Bureau of the Budget. as required by rule 42 of the Joint Committee on Printing.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents. Washington, D. C. Subscription price $1 domestic, foreign $1.80 per year. Single copies, 5 cents.
Material for PUBLIC HOUSING should be addressed to Informational Service Division, U. S. Housing Authority, Washington, D. C.
4 208187 U. 5. GOVERNMENT PRIN'I’ING OFFICE