The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
4-2260 FEDE...'U\L WORKS AGENCY WORK PROJECTS ADMIHISTRATION • For Reiease Monday, .All.gust 11, 1941 WPA SURVEYS FIND SH.ARP RENT INCREASES AND FEW DWELLI NGS AVAILABLE I 1'l' DEFENSE AREAS Rents increased in a large proportion of dwelling units and in some instances more than doubled in small industri a l citi es and camp towns during the yero: since t he defense program was inaug,rrat od, a<;!COrding _to a summary of WPA rental studies released to day by Howard o. Hunter , Commissioner of Work Projects . Moro than half of 58 comnrunities surveyed showed rent in- creases for more than 30 percent of their rental dwellings . In half of tho places surveyed tho average increases were more than 20 percent of tho rent paid in March, 1940. A summary of another series of studies , on vacant dwellings available in defense areas , disclosed that in 90 percent of t he areas the vacancy rates in recent months were well below the five percent level which i s considered normal . In two out of every five of t ho arec.s the housing situation was found to be 11 cri tical , 11 \.Ji th fewer t han two percent of the dwelling units vacant . :Both studios were conducted by tho WP.A Division of Roscn.rch, the rent survey at tho request of t ho Office of Price Administration a....~d Civilian Supply and tho vacancy surv~ys at tho request of t h e Division of Defense Housing Coordination. by Tho surveys are being used the agencies which requested them in plruming progrruns of rent control a.nd .daTonso housing construction. LJ1g71:1zedoy NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4-2260 - 2 11 Complicating the situation for the migrating defense worker is the fact that many of the r elatively few dwellings remaining vacant are not for rent or are unfit for use , 11 Mr . Hunter said . 11 The nu..'Tiber of dwellint; units a va ilable for r ent was often found to be less than half o: those vacant . 11 In startling. a num·ber of areas the r ent increases have been trul y They are hardest , moreover , on the farniJ.ies who are l e a.s t able to -pay , because in most instances the incree,ses have been relatively greater on tlle poorer and choayie r dwellings . 11 In :B·c.rlir,gi;on, Io•.1a , the study showed , more thc:..n half of the (lj rents had bo on rr.. isod. e,nc_ t he average incr8n.se was 33 :pcrcon t. In Le esville , Louisiana , a l most thro e- fourths of the rents had been r aised , the average increase amm~1ting to 109 percent . Hore than throe- fourths of the rents in Brownwood. , Texas , worCT up, and. the avorn.ge increase was 64 percent . In tho small town of Starke , Florida , near Camp Blnnd.ing , seven-tenths of tl10 r en ts had been r aised un average of 101 percent . (Attached are t wo tables, no . 1 summarizing find.in gs of t hose va cancy studies made during this ca l endo,r year , nnd no . 2 summariz i ng findi ngs of the rental surveys.) • 0 Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4-2260 7/24/41 Table 1. - Results of Vacancy Surveys Made by the WFA Divis ion of Research at the Re4uest of the Division of Defense Housing Coordination Gross vacancy rate Rabi table rental vacancy rate Area surveyed Date of survey Mobile, Alabama January 1941 1. '716 0.8% Pho enix, Ari zona Apr i1 1941 9.0 7.4 Littl e Ro ck area, Arkansas May 1941 2.4 1.1 Bakersfield, California Oakland ar ea , Ca lifornia Sacramento, California San Fra ncisco, California San Rafael area, California Vallejo area, California April 1941 January 1941 April 1941 Ja.nuar~' 1941 February 1941 February 1941 5.6 1.0 4.2 1. 4 3 .6 3 .8 2.0 0.1 Denver, Colorado April 1941 2.5 1.9 Stamford, Connecticut Waterbury area, Connecticut February 1941 February 1941 1.4 1.0 1.0 0 .3 Wilmington, Del awar e F ebruary 1941 1. 9 1.1 Washington , D. C. ) Montgomery County, Ear yl and ) Frince Georges County, Mnryland) Al exandria, Virginia ) Arling t on County, Virginia ) Fa lls Church, Virginia ) J ~mua ry J anu~,r y J anuar y J anua r y Janu?.ry J a nuary 2.5 4.5 3. 7 5 .6 4. 7 7.5 1. 9 0.8 1.3 2 .8 1.6 1.2 Fanama City, Fl or ida April 1941 8 .7 4.1 Atl ant a , Georgia Macon ar en , Georg i a April 1941 February 1941 2.7 1.2 1.9 0.5 Chicago, Illinois East Alton area , Illinois East St. Louis area , Illinoi s April 1941 J a nuary 19 41 J anua ry 194-:1 2.4 1,3 1.3 1. 7 0.6 0 .8 Fort Wayne, Indiana Indi anano lis, Ind iana April 1941 J anuary 1941 2.7 1.5 2.5 1.4 Kans &,s City aren, Kansas Janua r y 19·11 3 .1 1.6 Ba t on Rouge, Louisiana April 19 41 3.5 2.9 Portland area, Maine January 1941 5.1 3.0 • 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 2.8 5.3 5.1 8.3 Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4-2260 - 2 - Table 1. - Results of Vacancy Surveys Made by the 1•.'FA Di ,· i s ion of Res earch at the Request of the Divis ion of Def ense Hous ing Coo r d i nati on - Co~e Gr os s vacancy rate Habit e.ble r ental va ~ancy r e.t e Ar ea surveye d Dat e of survey Bal t irwre, Nary land Hager s t own, Mar yl a nd January 1941 Janua ry 1941 2 • 7/4 I 1.4 1.3% 0 .6 Bost on area, Massac hus etts Charl e st ::.wn a r sa , kr~ssachus e tts Q,uincy ar ea , r1ias sachuse tts J 3.nuary 1941 J a nua ry 1941 F0bruary 1941 4. 3 2 .6 3 .3 2 .5 1. 5 2.0 Bay Ci t;v a r Ge. , Jviic h i gan De tr c it ar ea, Ivi ichi gLn Fli nt, h i chi gan Midland, Jvi i ch i gan Iviu skegon, f'ii chigan Fonti Rc, h i chif nn Sag i ne.w, lvi i c ~i 6 1.m Februe.ry 1941 J a nu1>.ry 1941 Februe.r y 1941 Febr uary 1941 Jan,J.c.ry 1941 Fer.--:-1.cnry 1941 February 1941 1.5 2, 2 1. 2 1.4 1.6 1. 6 2. 1 0.7 0 .8 0.4 0 .3 1.1 0 .5 0 .9 Bil ox i, h i s d f! s i m;i Meri d i an, h is s i ss i pp i April 1941 April 1941 8 .9 2. 8 4.7 2 .0 I ndependence 2.r ,;a , h i ss::mri Ke.nsns Cit y , Mi ss ouri St. Che.rl es e.r oR, Mi s12.ouri St . Louis, h iss C' uri F ebru2.ry 1941 Feb ruE,.ry 1941 J mma r y 1941 J ecnua ry 1941 1. 9 1.2 L:: .l. 2 .5 2 .1 1'i anch est er, Nei..· Hamps hir e April 1941 LL B0l h ,vil lo , Nev' J or s ey Eliz ab eth, New J ers ey H~rri s Jn , N0w J ers ey Irv ingt on, New J ers ey J er sey City e.r ea , New J ers ey Kear ny, New J ers ey . Nm,,e.r k: , Nev' J a rs ey OrRnge ar ea , Now J er sey Pat e r s on ~r aa , New J e rs ey J a nuA- r y J a nuFLry J ,i. nu<1.ry J 2nuo. ry J anue.r y J 2.nua r y J <enua ry J e.nua ry J a nu.e. r y 1. 4 Albany, Nev Yo r k Elmira area , New York Schenectady area , New York Syracus e , New York Tr oy, Ne,,, York Utica , New York February 1941 )v:arch 1941 Janua ry 1941 F ebnary 1941 February 1~141 January 1941 5 .5 2.9 2.1 2.5 4.7 2.8 3.4 1.3 1. 0 Charl otte, No rth Carolina Wil mingt on, North Car olina April 1941 February 1941 3.4 3 .9 1. 8 0 .7 Akr on area, Ohio Cincinnati ar ea, Ohio Cleve land ar ea, Ohio Tol edo , Ohb Digitized by harch 1941 January 1941 April 1941 April 1941 1.8 3 .4 1. 9 0.9 2.2 1.1 2.2 0 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY . 3 .8 5.3 - 1941 1941 19L!,l 19':~l 19ta 194 1 19 .,., 1 1941 19.:;, 1 .-., • C, 1.5 2.3 1. 4 4.1 1.0 2 .6 2 . .;, l L!. Original 60~ NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4 .2 2 .3 0 .9 1 .0 1. 0 l. 2 2.3 0 ,5 1. 9 1 .8 0 • tJ~ 1. 9 2 .2 2.0 4-2260 - 3 - Table 1. - Results of Vacancy Surveys hade by the WFA Division of Research at the Request of the Division of Defense Housing Coord inati on - Cont'd. Area surveyed Date of survey All ento1,rn, Pennsylvania January 1941 Beaver County, Pennsylvania January 1941 Bethlehem, Pe nnsylvania January 1941 Ellwood City, Fennsyl vania Janua ry 1941 Harrisburg area, Pennsylvania February 1941 New Ce.s tle, F,mnsyl vania. Janua ry 1941 Fhiladelphia, F ennsyl vania March 1941 Pittsburgh, Fennsyl,rani a )Febrmry 1941 Allegheny River area, Pennsylvania)February 1941 Monongahele. River area,Penneylvania)Fobrm.ry 1941 Ohio River area, Pen nsylv a nia )F ebruary 1941 Reading, Pennsylvania. January 1941 Titusville, Pennsylvania JRnuary 1941 Willi amspo rt, Pennsylvania February 1941 Columbia, South Caro lina February 1941 Beaumont, Texa.s DallHs ares., Texas Houston, Texas Fort Arthur, Texas Vict oria, Texe.s Wichita Fa lls,Texas June 1941 February 1941 April 1941 June 1941 April 1941 April 1941 Ogden, Utah Gross vacaney rate 1. 3% 1.6 0.9 1.5 2.0 3.7 2.9 2.2 1.2 1.0 1.9 Rabi table rental vacancy rate 0.6% 1.0 0.3 0.7 1.2 2.3 1.8 1. 3 0.6 0.4 2.2 1,8 1.0 1.5 0,7 1.1 0.5 1. 9 0.6 3.6 2.4 4.9 3.5 3.8 4.8 2.9 3.6 5.1 3,0 May 1941 1.4 0.5 Everett, Washington April 19.(;;1 4.4 2.1 Charl es ton a rea, West Virginia 1-'iorgc=.,ntown area., West Vir g inia January 1941 J e.nul"..ry 1941 2.4 1. 7 1.2 0.8 Bel o it, Wisconsin Man itow oc, Wisconsin Oshkosh, Wisc onsin January 1941 January 19.:n February 19.U 1.3 0.7 1.1 1.1 2.2 1. 9 2.2 2.4 Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY A2990a Table 2. - Results of Rental Change Surveys Made by the WPA Division of Re search at the Re que st of the Off i ce of Price Adm inistrqtion and Civilian Supply Ar ea surveyed Date of survey Annist on, Alabama Florenc e , Alabama ) Sheff iel d. , Alabama) Tuscumbia, Alabama ) J une June J une June Monterey, California) Salinns, California) June 1941 June 1941 Bristol , Connecticut Meriden , Connecticut Groton, Connect::.cu.t ) New London , Connecticut) May 1-ia~r May May Ga inesvill e , Florid.a) Starke , Florida ) Pensacola, Fl orida Mo.y 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 1941 Pr oport i on of i d.ent i cal units · Average r ent having rent in- March 1940, cr ea s es since all units March 19 40 38% 30. 38 36 28 10 39 32 22 19 Avera ge incr eas e for units having _ _:i::.::n=cr e_~_s_g s_ _ Amount Per cent $13.10 1 3. 90 12 . 60 12 . 70 $3 . 60 4.20 5.10 5. 00 30 40 40 20 . 60 31.10 4.60 4 . 50 23 15 25 . 80 23. 80 28 . 0C 26 . 60 3. 80 3 . 40 4 . 70 3.40 15 14 17 13 19 .20 5. 00 1 3 .20 2.70 26 101 17 28 May 1941 June 1941 12 70 23 15. 70 Joil e t , Illinois May 1941 M~.ison County cities, ill. May 19 41 44 12 25 . 80 5. 40 20 . 50 3.20 21 16 LaPorte, Indi ana Madison, Indiana June 1941 July 1941 38 34 24 . 60 5.80 24 12.10 3. 80 31 Burlington, Iowa M9.y 1941 58 20 . 20 6 . 60 33 Junction City, Kan sas June 1941 46 18 . 30 5.40 30 Alexandria , Louisia na Leesvill e , Louisiana Mar ch 1941 J une 1941 55 74 15.80 11 . 60 5 . 70 12.70 36 109 Bath, Ma i ne March 1941 22 20 . 50 3 . 90 19 Elkton, Maryland Hagerstown, Maqrland June 1941 June 1941 9 15 19. 90 21.00 3.60 2.70 18 13 Ayer, Massachusetts June 1941 15 20. 10 4.30 21 Bay City, Michigan Midland, Michigan Muskegon, Mi chi gan June 1941 J u ne 1941 May 1941 13 15 22.30 25. 80 21 . 50 4 . 2J 4 . 40 3.80 19 19 Rolla, Missouri J une 1941 38 19 . 7J 6. 10 31 1 3 . 00 Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 17 18 A299Qa - 2 - Table 2. - Results of Rental Change Surveys Hade by the WPA Division of Research at the Request of the Office ~f Price Administration and Civilian Supply - Continued Area surveyed ) Bethpage, New York Farmingdale, New York) Elmira, New York Massena, New York Sidney, New York Proportion of identical units having rent increases since March 1940 Date of survey Average rent March 1940, all uni ts Average increase for units having increases Percent Amount $4.50. 4.10 40 40 $26.60 33.50 23.70 22.80 21.70 ~.BO 17 12 15 19 18 Fayetteville, North Carolina June 1941 Wilmington, North Carolina May 1941 40 32 16.80 15.20 3.90 4.80 23 31 Warren, Ohio ) Ravenna, Ohio) May 1941 May 1941 29 33 29.20 21.00 5. 50 4.80 19 23 Lawton, Oklahoma June 1941 49 19.50 6.10 31 Beaver County, cities, Pa. Ellwood City, Pennsylvania Titusville, Pennsylvania Williamsport, Pennsylvania June July July June 1941 1941 1941 1941 20 16 16 26 22.40 24.90 15.90 22.30 3.70 3.80 2.60 2.80 16 15 17 Newport, Rhode Island June 1941 4 30.00 4.30 14 Milan-Humboldt area, Tenn. June 1941 July 1941 Tullahoma, Tennessee 38 47 10.20 13.30 9.10 9.20 89 69 Abilene. Texas Brownwood, Texas Mineral Wells, Texas June 1941 June 1941 June 1941 56 78 64 20.30 15.20 17.30 5.70 9.70 9.90 28 64 57 Ogden, Utah May 1941 15 23.20 3.60 15 Springfield, Vermont) ) Windsor, Vermont June 19 41 June 1941 41 30 23.50 20 .80 5.10 4.00 22 19 Petersburg, Virginia Pulaski, Virginia) Radford, Virginia) May 1941 May 1941 May 1941 26 41 43 13.10 3.30 17.50 5.60 15.80 7.00 25 32 44 Morgantown, West Virginia May 1941 48 21.50 6.60 31 Manitewoc, Wisconsin) Two Rivers, Wisconsin) May 1941 May 1941 23 13 24.30 19.70 3.90 3.20 16 16 May 1941 1941 May 1941 May 1941 May 1941 !vf.a,y 17~ 13 8 3.:5C' 4.30 Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 13
@FedFRASER