| Show house H 0 alfurs e shortage S h 0 t a g e growing gr worse amorse latest statistics show amount of building so far this year less than year ago LARGE CITIES overcrowded lack of price stabilization one of the chief causes of slowing up of construction work little hope for drop in prices new york As we vre advance into the new year it becomes become s constantly more apparent that no problem Is in more urgent need of an early and wise solution than that which Is involved in the nations housing situation says S W straus from the most reliable statistics obtainable tai at this time the actual amount of building accommodations throughout the country are considerably less than they were a year ago while the figures indicate an increased cost of new building contracts awarded during the year 1320 1020 of about 5 per cent as compared with 1919 this was more than discounted by the added cost of building construction and the loss of available space through fires and deterioration teri ter forat oration on in brief th the country Is going backward in its housing equipment overcrowding in the large cities has reached such a serious state that health authorities are sounding an it n alarm these unwholesome conditions also develop social unrest and lawlessness and it Is apparent that every possible a agency ency should lend itself to the work of helping in the practical solution of this grave problem building projects held back it Is to be hoped that a large building movement hlll start this spring and summer but no one can tell what developments may arise meanwhile lack of price stabilization has been one of the chief causes of the slowing up of construction work since the armistice mi stice vast amounts of building projects have been held back because of the feeling that building costs would recede later however experience has shown that those who waited have gained nothing while those who went ahead with their plans have no cause for regret during the last year the amount of work projected was about twice as aa much as the amount of actual operations the uncertainty as to future price tendencies constitutes one of the most unfavorable factors in the situation today the feeling Is being fostered by the slump in prices in many commodities it should be borne in mind however that conditions incorporated in the general range of commodities and those in the housing situation are not analogous the processes of liquidation such as we have witnessed lately with regard to general merchandise e cannot annot include the building commodity merchants can move theli their stocks of merchandise from their shelves by cutting prices and there always Is more or less fluctuation in these lines housing space however Is generally leased on a basis of one year or more during periods of retrenchment such as we ire have hava witnessed in this country during the last six months housing therefore Is affected less than any other commodity people can quickly adjust themselves to economies in clothing food and other requirements of their dally daily lives while business concerns can reduce quickly operating costs by putting into effect general economies but in neither instance Is 13 it if generally possible or advisable to curtail expenditures tor for housing space no benefit in delay some of the abnormal prices and bonuses which have existed in the construction st business busine gs will not continue to be paid but general fundamental conditions at this time do not indicate that there is wisdom in withholding building operations the basic baele influences which may be expected to exert their force against lower building costs may be summer teed as follows unprecedented demand throughout the country for housing facilities of all kinds shortage of highly paid skilled laborers in many of the essential building trades tremendous increases in business bus ness with a corresponding increase in necessary building equipment after the present period of readjustment and liquidation general tendency toward readjustment st to higher levels of income from property export demand for american building materials as candith conditions as improve abroad insistence of public on constantly improved sian standards dards of living with corresponding demand fr for more costly equipment |
