WAR HOUSING

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1942

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS,

Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to adjournment, in room 1324, New House Office Building, at 10 a. m., Hon. Fritz C. Lanham (chairman) presiding.

FURTHER STATEMENTS OF JOHN B. BLANDFORD, ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL HOUSING AGENCY, and HERBERT EMMERICH, COMMISSIONER, FEDERAL PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order.

Mr. Blandford, you had not completed your statement.

Mr. BLANDFORD. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee; during the hearings yesterday, there was reference to a list C, which contains a rather specific picture of the very pressing need for war housing in twelve typical localities. Similarly, there was reference to a list, D, which in perhaps even more striking fashion-because it is based upon reports from plant managers, who have to meet production schedules indicates the urgent need for housing in particular localities.

The committee agreed that these materials should be made available to Members but, because of their confidential or tentative nature, should not be put in the record. I would like to inquire of the committee, however, if it would be agreeable that abstracts of this material, with the names of the communities deleted, be inserted in the record? It is very important material and really gets to the core of the problem. The CHAIRMAN. I think that would be illuminating and it would be well to have that in the record.

Mr. BLANDFORD. We shall prepare such abstracts.

The CHAIRMAN. To such extent as you can include it from a practical consideration, and not be unduly burdened in carrying on your work.

Mr. BLANDFORD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

(The abstracts to be furnished are in full as follows:)

PLANT REPORTS ON HOUSING NEEDS

The following reports, illustrative of Nation-wide conditions, have been received by the National Housing Agency within the last few weeks from 24 representative plant managers or other officials of large plants producing primary war goods or, in a few instances, from the commanding officers of military establishments. These reports are set forth below without any substantial alterations, deletions being limited to names and places which if revealed would improperly publicize the nature and location of current war activity.

A. INQUIRY-MAY 27, 1942

War Housing Policy adopted by War Production Board and National Housing Administration on April 15 contemplates that no new housing be built during this next year except that necessary to meet need created by in-migration of workers for operation war production establishments. In-migrants are authoritatively estimated for each locality and all possible are to be housed in existing accommodations. If prospective in-migration exceeds capacity existing housing, we undertake provide for excess the appropriate type new housing requiring least critical materials.

For single men and women, and largely for two-person families, we propose to build temporary dormitories and temporary apartments, and to minimize construction of units for larger families.

Would appreciate your specific opinion by wire on the following specific question: To secure workers needed for a war plant such as you are operating and to keep them for duration, do you consider that, under prevailing circumstances, it will be necessary to bring in some proportion families of more than two persons which in turn requires some type family dwelling accommodations for them?

B. REPLIES

(1)

We are not hiring male persons who are potential selective service inductees. This includes single men, men married since September 1940, married men whose wives are working or who have no children. This means that all male hirings are married unless physically unfit for military service. A good portion of our female hirings are widows with one to two children and wives of men who are in armed forces. Probably 15 percent of female hirings will require accommodations for from two to three persons. Accommodations for families is very critical. Twenty-two percent of our terminations last month were due to married employees being unable to find accommodations so that they could bring families. Many new employees are terminating within a week because of inability to find accommodations for families. Plants have absorbed practically all of the potential employment that may be drawn from existing local businesses and services. Further expansion of our operations and production will be severely handicapped if additional accommodations are not provided immediately. * * Continued delay of the National Housing Agency projects is already handicapping increases in war effort.

(2)

It is our opinion, based on present in-migration records, that 30 percent of temporary apartments should provide for families larger than two persons. Of the 30 percent, 15 percent should provide for one or two children, and 15 percent for three or four children.

(3)

I confirm immediate need of 5 2-story units, each housing 400 men, and dining hall within the projected area with seating capacity of 600. We answer your specific question regarding necessity of housing some families with more than 2 persons by suggesting that action on family housing be delayed until forecasted need is confirmed by further survey.

(4)

Most emphatically recommend bring in some proportion workers' families of more than 2 persons. Our average age 34. Average number per family, 3.4 and with draft requirements getting stricter, trend will be toward larger family average. This shipyard in critical situation from transportation standpoint. * * * New shipyards and plant nearby necessitating thousands of extra workmen. * * * Our housing situation one of country's most critical. * * * Minimum 2,000 dormitory units and 3,500 to 5,000 family units needed as some 9,000 of our employees now live so far from the job that loss of automobile use will require travel time of 3 to 5 hours daily.

(5)

On necessity of bringing in families of more than two persons for proper operation of our plants. From past experience, we feel that it will be definitely necessary to supply housing for families of this type. New Federal construction is

under way. The first project of 300 units is filled and there are 1,020 applications on file with project manager for the 450 units now being built. Of 847 people hired during past 2 weeks, 40 percent are married and average 3.22 persons per family. Twenty percent of 847 have requested housing assistance. The need will grow more acute.

* * *

(6)

* * *

It is our firm opinion that an increasingly larger number of those employed by us will be men with families of more than two persons. This particularly in view of the fact that Selective Service is gradually taking the younger, single, and newly married men from the ranks of industry. I can speak * * * also for all the other war industries located here. In view of my position both as an official * * and also as chairman of the mayor's * * * commission, earnestly urge that nothing be done in any way to curtail the construction of housing for war industry. Employees * * * most sorely needed and most essential to production. Lack of housing is the chief reason for difficulty we are continually encountering in securing suitable employees.

(7)

Our opinion is that temporary apartments consisting of two large rooms, one for sleeping, one for cooking, and eating, built in rows with baths between rows constructed on sites that are available close to our plant, will take care of workers for the duration with families consisting of man, wife, and even two children, We suggest sites close to our plant which are available, and from which men can walk to work when they are not able to obtain tires. Sufficient creosoted pile tops are being burned daily at our plant that could be used for foundations for all of these buildings. Families larger than those specified above can be taken care of in buildings already constructed or under construction.

(8)

Operation of plant like ours requires higher proportion skilled workers than nearly any other type of war production plant. This, combined with peculiarities of this section of country where known labor pools comprise farm and mine labor principally, and with only two small metropolitan cities whose own war industries have absorbed all skilled or semiskilled labor, means in our case that large proportion of employees will come from distances beyond commutation. Present experiences and future expectancy are that the requisite 2,000 skilled male workers will be almost entirely imported, and the overwhelming majority will come from 200 to 800 miles. In addition, we will employ approximately 600 semiskilled male workers. Army Ordnance will have a total personnel of 300. For our totals of 3,800 workers were estimated 1,800 family units and 700 dormitory units, as outlined in our March 25 survey, copy of which is in your office. Realizing national construction difficulties, we have been endeavoring to employ local help to fullest extent, and lately have explored possibilities following this practice for jobs not requiring specialized ability. In this, we have had very little success due to unusually low quality of available local labor. Consequently, the writer's efforts to justify a revision of our original 1,800 unit estimate were fruitless. Regardless, however, we indicated * * * that we would take our chances with 1,500 units as the "irreducible minimum." If we contemplate the most favorable circumstances, we cannot feel that any considerable proportion of these units should be planned as war apartments. Incidentally, we are to have, for single workers, 800 dormitory units built out of Army ordnance funds. No houses are available today and even more alarming is inability to give assurance to prospective employees that housing will be available later. Not to be overlooked is fact that transportation, health, and other facilities for workers are so bad here as to be seldom equalled anywhere else in America.

(9)

Air depot is a key airplane repair and construction depot of the Army Air Forces, beginning operation July 1 and will employ 1,300 civilian workers, a large proportion of whom will be skilled airplane technicians. The depot is located * * * in a sparcely settled southern rural area. Population less than 500, grown from approximately 20 during the past 6 months. Nearest city or village over 500 population has grown during the past 18 months from approxi

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mately 60,000 to approximately 100,000 due to other war developments, hence is struggling with additional housing problems. Believe provision of at least 1,500 family units for housing older key technical personnel who must be brought here largely from northern communities is essential. Extreme difficulty is being experienced in persuading the supervisory personnel who are above draft age and are large settled family men to move to this depot under present conditions. The greatest difficulty is being experienced in securing sufficient skilled personnel to open operations July 1. It is therefore vital to start at once the construction of 50-family dwelling units to convince these men that present conditions are temporary only and will soon be alleviated.

(10)

* * *

We feel it will be necessary to provide housing for a rather large proportion of families of more than two persons because military service will take younger men representing the smaller family groups.

(11)

We are of definite opinion substantial family dwelling accommodations are essential to secure workers and to keep them in this area during the duration of vital war work. Approximately 35 percent of additional workers are in noncritical occupations, requiring hiring of those with more than one dependent to hold them from the draft. Also certain substantial skilled workers not available within reasonable commuting distance from shipyards will require family units.

(12)

We will require approximately 20,000 additional employees within next 11 months, most of whom we expect to get from this midwestern area, and relatively few of whom are available without in-migration. There are so many factors, such as the selective-service drain, birth-certificate requirements, birth-rate indeterminates, and other factors that I hesitate to even hazard a guess what proportion of these in-migrants will be families with more than two persons, however, I would say in view of our present experience, that 75 percent of the 20,000 employees we will require, will come from families of more than two people who will desire separate dwelling accommodations, since apartment and tenant living is uncommon in this area. The 20,000 in-migrants contemplated in this answer might and in all probability will be increased, due to the fact that of the 14,000 people now employed, many of the single persons will be drafted within the next several months, and must be replaced by older people who will in all probability come within your in-migrants definition.

(13)

* * *

Spot survey of families in presently established housing units shows an average of 1.1 children per family. Most requests received by our housing division are for family dwellings of 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms, indicating that families with children predominate. Local housing officials confirm this. Moreover, Selective Service Act makes it mandatory that older men with families be given first consideration jobs requiring men. In addition, future labor requirements indicate need for many women, a great number of which will have need for family type accommodations. Still further tire rationing as well as gas rationing necessitate prospective dwellings convenient to arsenal.

(14)

Shortage of satisfactory housing for workers is becoming serious obstacle not only to further building up roll, which is vitally necessary, but also to keeping men already employed. Several thousand now on roll have been unable to bring their families here and many quitting on this account. Furthermore, effect of Selective Service is increasing percentage of employees with families. It is our opinion large proportion of accommodations already authorized should be suitable for families more than two persons. Also quarters for single men appear to be exhausted and need for dormitories is urgent as hot weather approaches.

(15)

Consider that under prevailing circumstances, it will be necessary to bring in some proportion of families of more than two persons which in turn will require

some type family-dwelling accommodations. In our opinion this type of accommodation will exceed 30 percent of the total accommodations required.

(16)

Based on present experience, it appears our minimum requirements for families exceeding 3 persons immigrating between now and July 1, 1943, will be 1,700 families. Two- and three-person families, 800. These estimates arrived at without including commuters by present standards.

(17)

Experience in connection family-housing units indicates need as approximately 35 percent 1-bedroom, 50 percent 2-bedroom, 15 percent 3-bedroom. At present in urgent need dormitory accommodations for at least 1,500 women. Also now request immediate construction 500 dormitory facilities for men previously programmed to be constructed. Approximately 2.500 applications for family-housing units on file today and additional applications now being refused. * * Housing in this area desperate. * * *

(18)

Our opinion is definitely that temporary apartment housing is needed right now to house our present workers, and additional workers to be recruited. * * * Our experience indicated dormitories for single workers not nearly so urgent as for married men. We cannot too strongly impress upon you that speed is of paramount importance as workers are quitting us daily account lack of housing

(19)

It is our definite belief that it will be necessary to bring in to our plants, families of more than two persons and that family-dwelling accommodations of suitable type must be provided for them if we expect to hold them for the duration and run our plants at the capacity expected by the Government. We do not believe that it will be possible to get men to leave their families at some distant point and live in barracks at the plant without conscription of labor.

(20)

We consider it is necessary to bring in a proportion of families of more than two persons. Situation now acute as to family units and dormitories for single men. (21)

More than 75 percent married applicants accepted for employment at present are the two dependents or less class. However feel that Selective Service requirements will necessitate the employment of older men who in most cases have larger families.

(22)

Management of local defense housing activities report 60 to 75 percent of applications are for houses at least two bedrooms. Estimated that future demands will approximate the same percentage of families with more than two persons.

(23)

You are

Expect to need approximately 2,000 immigration workers this year. better qualified to estimate proportion family of more than two persons from previous housing experience but feel existing housing and housing construction inadequate for proposed industrial expansion program in this area. Approve proposal for temporary dormitories and apartments.

(24)

Dormitories for single men and married couples not usable in our district. It is very urgent that we have houses to accommodate more than two peoples families, as our requirements for men are highly skilled mechanics who are practically all older married men with families. Many of our present employees are counting on these houses in this new plan, therefore action should be taken immediately im order to hold our present employees. Impossible to take on new employees we