OCR Text |
Show for the first five month, of tho year. During this period contracts for 11,400,000,000 were awarded. This figur Is 60 per cent belter than the one set in the same period of the preceding year, which was considered a record-brake r. The building activity Is not confined to any one section of the country. Some of It Is public pub-lic and much of it Industrial, but this does not mean that dwellings are being neglected. Building Build-ing permits in practically every cHy where there has been a housing shortage show a wholesome increase in the amount of money devoted to dwellings. It is estimated that In Salt LaVe more than 500 new dwellings are under course of construction. construc-tion. This may he measured against an apparent appar-ent shortage of 1200 homes at the close of last year's business. The year is but half gone and the city should be able to show material progress prog-ress before the close of the building season. Renewed interest In the building of homes may be attributed in part to the high rentals which prevailed during the housing shortage. The people have discovered that they can buy a home on payments which are as easy as the prevailing rentals. When this Is added to the natural advantages of a home owned by Its occupant, oc-cupant, it is not difficult to understand why so many more people favor buying to renting. The building activities of the day do not mean that the prevailing rate of rentals re to be seriously affected. Practically all of the homes in course of construction are for sale and few of them will be added to the list of rental properties, and hence the possibility of substantial substan-tial rent reductions would seem remote. . ' : : a . .. I Removing the Problem jtt ! . rFHAT the United State. Is rapidly riwdinj it-1 it-1 1 self of one of its problems the housing 1 1 ihortare is indicated in the Volume of building M. e |