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CENTRAL HOUSING COMMITTEE WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN 11 U INTERIOR BUILDING; EXTENSION October 31, 1935. Hon. liarriner S. Eccles Governor, Federal Reserve Board 15th St. & Hew York Avenue Washington, D. C. My dear Governor Eccles: The Central Housing Committee has been established, with the approval of the President, to coordinate the diversified activities of Federal agencies concerned with housings This Committee exercises no administrative authority but is purely a conference or cooperative organization by means of which, through pooling housing information and experience, each agency can work more effectively in its own sphere. The Committee consists of representatives of the following agencies having major interests in housing or housing finance: Farm Credit Administration Federal Housing Administration Federal Home Loan Bank Board National Emergency Council Public Works Administration HFC Mortgage Company Resettlement Administration Treasury Department These agencies constitute a small working nucleus. Assisting them are sub-committees which, in addition, represent other agencies which have incidental or special interests in housing or are in a position to render needed assistance. The Central Housing Committee, as a coordinating agency, seeks through these sub-committees, to prevent duplications and to avert conflicts in policy or program among the housing agencies. The following are in process of establishment: Research and Statistics Appraisal and Purchase Planning and Initiation Design and Construction Law and Legislation Operation and Management Procedure and Administration At the organization of the Research and Statistics group, it was the consensus of opinion that it would be desirable to include Mr* Frank Garfield of your agency. I am therefore extending, through you, an invitation to Mr. Garfield to join the Committee and to attend the meeting scheduled for November 6. Data relating to the Committee program is enclosed. Sincerely yours, Encl * Chairman 630 November 5, 1935 Mr. Frederic a. Delano Chairman, central Housing Committee 1112 Interior Building Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Delano: I am sure that our Board will be glad to cooperate with your Committee, and I have therefore referred to Dr. E. A. Goldenweiser, Director of our Division of Research and Statistics, the request in your letter of October 31 to have Mr. Frank Garfield of tnat Division attend the meeting of your subcommittee on Research aud Statistics on November 6. Dr. Goldenweiser informs me that he has taken this matter up with Mr. Garfield and that Mr. Garfield will be very glad indeed to accept the invitation that you asked me to extend to him for you. ttith Kind regards, I am Sincerely yours, > S. Eccles, Chairman. CENTRAL HOUSING COMMITTEE Organization and Procedure The Central Housing Committee will consist of one principal from each of the following agencies: Farm Credit Administration Federal Housing Administration Federal Home Loan Bank Board National Emergency Council Public Works Administration RFC Mortgage Company Resettlement Administration Treasury Department Each agency will certify formally an alternate for its principal representative. The interests and activities of agencies in which housing is secondary will "be represented through participation in the work of specialized sub-committees and in other ways. Organization of the following Sub-Committees is authorized: 1. 2. 3. 4. Research and Statistics Planning and Initiation Law and Legislation Procedure and Administration 5. 6. 7. Appraisal and Purchase Design and Construction Operation and Management Subject to modification because of pressing problems not now foreseen, slowness in preliminary steps by some Sub-Committees, or for other adequate reasons, the tentative order of organization of the Sub-Committees will be: (a) Research and Statistics; (b) Planning and Initiation; (c) Design and Construction; (d) Operation and Management; (o) Procedure and Administration; (f) Law and Legislation; (g) Appraisal and Purchase. The Central Committee approves the general outline prepared by the Organization Committee for the Sub-Committees1 operations, not as hard and fast instructions, but as indications of the scope and character of their work. As organized, each Sub-Committee will prepare a detailed program indicating activities to be undertaken, the chief issues and questions to be dealt with, and the procedure contemplated. These programs will be presented to tho Central Committee for consideration, modification and approval. Organization programs, progress reports and recommendations are expected in rapid succession. As the work of the Sub-Committees gets under way, the executive staff of the Central Committee will serve as a central source of general information on housing activities of the Federal Government. CENTRAL HOUSING COMMITTEE OUTLINE OF SUB-COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES as indicated "by Organization Committee (l) Research and Statistics a* List and analyze the work now being done or contemplated by each of the research and statistical departments of the housing agencies• Eliminate overlapping and duplication. Make suggestions on the technique and methods of new and proposed studies so that their results will be comparable with former work and other current research. Indicate major gaps in the research activity and suggest studies to be done by different agencies or by combinations of them. b, Prepare a digest of information now assembled by each of the agencies but not at present available to others. Provide for circulation of abstracts, digests and translations and for the development of a central library catalogue on housing. c. Discuss major research needs with university groups and with other disinterested private agencies (such as the Social Science Research Council, the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Brookings Institution, etc.), with the purpose of directing this outcide research to subjects that are of interest to the housing agencies. Planning and Initiation a. Prepare a detailed list of projects now under way or pending (suppleinented by confidential discussion of projects under consideration) with information on the character of the projects, land costs, the sales prices or rentals of their housing units, and tho experiences to date in developing them. b. Analyze and evaluate existing information and current studies of major economic and social forces affecting housing, including population composition and movements, changes in family size and habits of living, trends in industrial and commercial location, and other factors in a long-range program. Suggest to the Committee on Research and Statistics supplemental research necessary* c* Compare the information now collected by each of the agencies in the areas of their operation. Compare information submitted on similar points by different field staffs and local cooperating bodies. Make suggestions for increasing the effectiveness of local advice and experience in planning and initiation. (3) Law and Legislation a* Assemble and digest title laws (including conveyancing and recording) mortgages, foreclosures, and moratoria laws, property liens, tax procedure, building codes, zoning ordinances, and others affecting housing and home ownership, together with s-ummaries of current legal rulings by the Comptroller-General, Attorney General and Federal and state courts. b* Assemble and digest existing and proposed laws and legislation affecting housing and home ownership. c. Assemble and provide for convenient use, copies of legal forms, briefs, opinions, rulings, regulations, contracts and othor legal or technical documents likely to bo of value to Government agencies active in housing. (4) Procedure and Administration a. Provide for the exchange of information on rules, regulations, instructions and operating procedure so that each agency can have for reference information and s-ummaries useful in its own b. Study housing needs, opportunities and accomplishments of Federal, state, municipal and private agencies both in the United States and in Europe, with particular reference to the relation of central and local governmental agencies, the needs met by different methods of operation, public relations, and the functioning of the different organizations as units. (5) Appraisal and Purchase a. Arrange for immediate exchange of records and experience with the appraisal and purchase of land, including the effectiveness of individuals and agencies employed on contract. b. Develop standards for appraisal practice and for the qualification and selection of appraisers. c. Provide for cooperation with public and private agencies in improving appraisal practices. Design and Construction a. Arrange for digesting and distributing among the various agencies the most significant experience of each with site planning, building design and construction. Extend this service to include the experience of private practice, articles in professional journals, and reports to professional organizations. b. In cooperation with local housing, building and zoning officials, and with professional societies of architects, city planners, engineers, public health officials, etc., study and if possible determine upon minimum and desirable standards in housing design and construction in different sections of the country, and in the repair, modernization and reconditioning of housing units. c. Engage in or check and compile the results of technical research of housing materials, tests of small scale assemblies, and experimental work in all phases of housing calculated to improve housing construction, the security of housing loans and the service of housing to home owners. Provide for carrying over into actual construction the results of both laboratory and field research. d. Study and report upon economies made possible by Federal, state and municipal purchases or supervision. (7) Operation and Management a. Collect, collate and disseminate pertinent information on the technical and operating phase of property management and on all financial, personnel, and operating problems and procedures in housing with which management has to deal. b. Provide for the exchange of forms, rules, regulations, instructions, and advice covering every important phase of management so that all of siich information will be available for the use of each Federal agency concerned with housing. iForm N o . 131 Offic$ Correspondence Mr. Daiger, FEDERAL RESERVE B0ARD n ^ November 4, 1955. Subject: Mr, E c d e s . Attached hereto is a letter which I received this morning from Mr. Frederic A* Delano, Chairman of the Central Housing Committee, relative to the appointment of certain subcommittees* He suggests that Mr. Frank Garfield of the Federal Reserve Board be included in the subcommittee on research and statistics* Do you know of any reason why there would be objection to Mr. Garfield serving on this subcommittee? Before a decision is made, I will appreciate your taking it up with Dr. Goldenweiser, inasmuch as he is in charge of the Division of Research and Statistics of the Federal Reserve Board, where Mr. Garfield is now employed* suggest you prepare a reply to Mr. Delano for my signature, Form No. 131 Orhcij Correspondence Governor Eccles J. M. P a l g e y ^ FEDERAL RESERVE Snhjer.fr Letter from Mr. Frederic A* Delan? __ 1«—S52 I received your memorandum in regard to Ifcr. Delanof s letter only late this afternoon, but I took it up immediately with Dr. Goldenweiser in view of the fact that the meeting referred to in the letter is scheduled for tomorrow. Mr. Garfield already has some knowledge of the activities of the Central Housing Committee onjf&search andySiatistics, and he is quite agreeable to working with the subcommittee and Dr. Goldenweiser is quite willing to have him do You ask if I know of any reason why there would be objection to Mr. Garfield1s serving on this subcommittee. I know of no reason why there should be any objection, but on the contrary think it is altogether appropriate that he should join this group that is engaged in work comparable to that which he is doing for the Board. Mr. Delanofs assistant, Mr. Woodbury, called on me one day last week and outlined to me the organization and procedure that Mr. Delano has in mind. Mr. Woodbury did not seem optimistic, or even hopeful, of aiqr important results that might be attained tjy the Central Housing Committee j nor do other reports that I have heard indicate that very much can be accomplished. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that it is desirable that some medium exist through which the executive heads and second-line men of the housing and housing-finance agencies can come into personal contact with o^e another. I think there is much less liklihood of friction in^methods being followed Toy Mr. Delano than in those being followed by Mr. Grimm.
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