TABLE 21b.-Characteristics of Veterans Administration loans closed: 1948–53 Includes loans for alteration and repair, not shown separately in this table. Prior to 1952, sec. 501 loans only are shown. Beginning 1952, data also include secs. 505 and 507 (less than 1⁄2 of 1 percent of the total). Estimated. All-time high. Source: Veterans Administration. TABLE 22.-Summary of the farm housing program under Public Law 171: 1 Each individual received also a building loan. Figures shown without parentheses indicate number of individuals who received a repair grant only. Figures shown in parentheses indicate number of individuals who received both a repair grant and a building loan. 3 The Farm Housing program was approved under Public Law 171 on July 15, 1949; all 1949 data are inIcluded in the first half of 1950. Funds authorized for loans and grants during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1954, totaled $16.8 million; the unused authorization at the end of December 1953 amounted to $4.1 million. Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers Home Administration. TABLE 23.-HHFA programs in the Federal budget [This table presents a brief analysis of the portion of the overall Federal budget expenditures attributable to HHFA programs. Budgetary expenditures of the Government for the fiscal year 1953 were $74 billion, of which $384.6 million were attributable to HHFA programs. It will be noted that the bulk of the expenditures was for the acquisition of assets. Disposition of these assets in later years will result in the return of funds to the Treasury] Use of funds by HHFA Receipts and expenditures for fiscal year 1953 (thousands of dollars) $585, 709 Acqusition of assets: Purchase of mortgages 1. Less sales and repayments 1_ Recapitulation Total funds applied to operations. Less total funds provided by operations... Net budgetary expenditure... Source of funds 10, 666 $63, 152 35, 315 126, 930 46, 693 126, 818 33, 554 253, 046 637, 631 253, 046 384, 585 The 2 most important components of this item, in order of importance, are financing of low-rent housing under the United States Housing Act and loans for slum clearance and urban redevelopment. These loans are made under the Alaska, prefabricated, and college housing loan programs. Substantial net repayments under the first 2 programs were outweighted by the heavy disbursements under the growing college housing program. Accounted for by FHA insurance claims, chiefly from Title I Modernization and Improvement Loan Insurance and from Section 608 (multifamily) War Housing Insurance. Consists of the following 3 items: Annual contributions for low-rent housing ($25.8 million), capital grants for slum clearance and urban redevelopment ($7.8 million), and capital grants for defense community facililities ($2.4 million). *Consists of recoveries from loans and properties under the advance planning programs and World War II public works (Lanham) program, which under existing law are covered directly into miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury. Principally from sale of public war housing constructed under the Lanham Act. About 95 percent of the fees and premiums were in connection with FHA and Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation operations. About $6 million of this item was received to reimburse the Agency for inspection and audit expenses and on account of FNMA commitments to purchase mortgages. Appendix B EXECUTIVE MESSAGES AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION AFFECTING HOUSING IN 1953 A. Executive Messages Upon taking office on March 4, 1953, the new Administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, the Honorable Albert M. Cole, stated that his one instruction from the President of the United States was to make a thorough study of the programs of the Agency and to come up with any appropriate recommendations for more efficient and effective methods for meeting housing problems. On September 12, 1953, the President by Executive Order 10486 provided for the establishment of the President's Advisory Committee on Government Housing Policies and Programs to be headed by the Housing Administrator as Chairman. The committee was instructed to "make, or cause to be made, studies and surveys of the housing policies and programs of the Government and the organization within the executive branch for the administration of such policies and programs * * *". On December 14, 1953, the committee transmitted its report to the President. In his first message to the Congress,' his address on the "state of the Union," President Eisenhower stated that "housing needs of our people call for intelligently planned programs." The President also informed Congress in this address that steps would be taken to eliminate controls (some of which had been put into effect because of the Korean emergency) in an orderly manner. He stated that he would recommend the continuance of Federal control over rents in those communities in which serious housing shortages exist-the defense areas-but that in these and all areas the Federal Government should withdraw from the control of rents as soon as practicable. Each legislature should have full opportunity to take over within its own State responsibility for rent control, he said. In another message to the Congress the President recommended the enactment of legislation to establish a commission on governmental functions and fiscal resources to make a thorough study of grants-in-aid activities and the problems of finance and Federal-State relations which attend them. He stated that the commission should study and investigate all the activities in which Federal aid is extended to State and local governments, whether there is justification for Federal aid in all these fields, and whether there is need for such aid in other fields. Public Law 109, establishing the Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, was a result of this recommendation and was approved by the President on July 10, 1953. 3 One of the President's first Executive orders established the President's Advisory Committee on Government Organization to advise him with respect to changes in the organization and activities of the executive branch of the Government which would promote economy and efficiency in the operations of 1 H. Doc. 75, 83d Cong. 2 H. Doc. 114, 83d Cong. Executive Order 10432, 18 F. R. 617. the Government. This committee reported to the President on the operations of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, among other agencies, but the report of the committee was not made public. On July 10, the President approved Public Law 108 which established by law the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government. This Commission was directed to study the organization and methods of operation of all Federal agencies, except the Judiciary and Congress, to determine what changes should be made to promote efficiency, economy, and improved service in the transaction of the public business. Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1953 which was sent to the Congress by the President on April 2, 1953,' and became effective on June 12, 1953, established a new Office of Defense Mobilization which took over the functions of the National Security Resources Board and the major functions of the Office of Defense Mobilization established by the President by Executive Order No. 10193, pursuant to the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended. Effective July 1, 1953, the Office of Defense Mobilization (Defense Mobilization Order 28, later redesignated as Defense Mobilization Order VII-3) outlined its new basic policy on the control of materials and facilities by the use of priorities and allocations authority. Defense Mobilization Order VII-5, effective October 7, 1953, designated supply and requirements agencies and provided that the Housing and Home Finance Administrator should present supply and requirements information to the Office of Defense Mobilization with respect to housing construction, alteration, and repair, except housing and community facilities owned property under the control of the Atomic Energy Commission, and housing on military reservations. Further, Executive Order 10475, issued July 31, 1953, provided that the powers and functions conferred upon the President by the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, exclusive of certain provisions, should be administered by the Office of Defense Mobilization. The order also provided that such functions as consist of granting exceptions to persons engaged in national defense activities from the provisions of Section 4 of the Housing and Rent Act giving preferences to veterans in new housing should be performed in such consultation with the Housing and Home Finance Administrator or his repersentative as the Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization and the Housing Administrator should from time to time jointly determine. Executive Order 10425, dated January 16, 1953, provided for the extension of time relating to the disposition pursuant to the Lanham Act of certain war housing. On June 19, 1953, Executive Order 10462 delegated to the Housing Administrator the President's authority in Section 611 of the Lanham Act to extend the time within which any action is required or permitted to be taken by the Administrator or others under the Lanham Act in connection with the disposition of war housing. B. The Congress and Federal Legislation 1. Housing Amendments of 1953 The Housing Amendments of 1953, Public Law 94, Eighty-third Congress, approved June 30, 1953, increased the FHA mortgage insurance authorization by $12 billion and amended the mortgage insurance provisions of the National Housing Act in a number of respects. Provision was made for repayments by FHA of funds furnished by the Treasury to the FHA. Provisions of law were continued in effect for another year for assistance to the provision of defense 'H. Doc. 120, 83d Cong. |