Later, with the best intentions, more substantial dwellings were built for them, first of frame and then of brick. The frame dwellings have pretty nearly all gone, because they are within the fire limits; and the alley dwellings of today are nearly all brick structures. Mr. HOUSTON. How can these people in the lowest-income group afford to pay these rents? Mr. IHLDER. We have set as our objective to provide decent houses at cost and at the lowest cost that we can make a decent house. We recognize that a good many people cannot pay that rent, because the lowest-income group goes down to those that have nothing whatever. So we say that our job as a housing agency is to provide houses. The matter of income is a matter of wages and of relief; and we are working with the relief agencies here. Many of our tenants are families on relief. As a practical matter, having it as a definite financial objective to make those houses break even, we are self-restrained from being extravagant. With that objective our rents cover operating costs, cover amortization of the buildings, cover local taxes. We do not pay local taxes, but the rents cover them. That is one direct contribution made by the District to continuing our work. They also cover insurance, and they cover all of our office overhead; that is, our administrative costs are not a separate thing, coming back on the taxpayer, but are a part of our operation. With that we have been able to build four-room-and-bath houses to rent for $25 a month. Remember that Washington is the highestcost city that there is in this country for housing. Mr. FITZPATRICK. How many rooms did you say? Mr. FITZPATRICK. That is doing very well. Mr. HOUSTON. You say that the cost of materials and labor are high here? Mr. IHLDER. Yes; as a Government agency we must pay union wages. Our wage rates here in general, I think, are the highest in the country; that is, they were. Since June I think that New York and Chicago, and, I am told, Pittsburgh, have come up to our rates. BALANCE SHEET Mr. FITZPATRICK. I think it would be well to put this balance sheet that you have in the record, Mr. Wigglesworth. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. All right. (The document referred to is as follows:) Cash: The Alley Dwelling Authority balance sheet, Nov. 30, 1937 Regular appropriation In Treasury In disbursing account.... Relief allotment in disbursing account.. Total available cash...... Disbursing officer-Special deposit. Notes receivable.. Accounts receivable Less reserve for uncollectibles.. Total current assets_ Deferred assets: Accrued interest receivable.. Prepaid water rents.. Long-term note receivable-Property purchase___ Fixed assets: Land... Buildings-housing projects.. Buildings Commercial project___ Total fixed assets. Construction work in progress_ Total fixed assets__. Total assets. $199. 10 330. 03 9, 558. 00 $253, 976. 48 182, 873. 94 35, 620. 77 34, 136. 77 470, 987. 19 $3,885. 04 968. 42 2, 916. 62 269. 26 23. 56 245. 70 104, 851. 83 579, 001. 34 811, 766. 00 The Alley Dwelling Authority balance sheet, Nov. 30, 1937-Continued Results from operations: Nov. 10, 1934, to June 30, 1935. July 1, 1935, to June 30, 1936 July 1, 1936, to June 30, 1937. July 1, 1937, to Nov. 30, 1937. 15, 695. 36 The Alley Dwelling Authority cash reconciliation, Nov. 30, 1937 The Alley Dwelling Authority, cash reconciliation, Nov. 30, 1937—Continued The Alley Dwelling Authority statement of estimated receipts and expenditures for the period Dec. 1, 1987, to June 30, 1938 Cash balance available Dec. 1, 1937. Douglas Court_. Rupperts Court $262.50 434. 00 5, 230. 00 245.00 3, 335. 50 294.00 6, 660. 50 $144, 733. 32 Administrative personal services... Total funds available....... Estimated expenditures, Dec. 1, 1937, to June 30, 1938: 3, 900. 00 2, 860.00 23, 221. 50 167, 954. 82 20, 255. 08 1, 462. 79 4, 764. 94 3, 442. 23 28, 052. 00 7, 133. 70 26, 365. 00 Estimated unexpended balance, June 30, 1938....... Estimated receipts based on present completed and nearly completed projects on a monthly basis... |