limited to $1,000 with respect to any one farm, dwelling, or building and to a maximum of $2,000 in the aggregate to any one individual. The bill also provides for technical assistance by the Department of Agriculture in farm-home design and construction, and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research directed toward lowering the cost of farm housing and to assemble data and market information in this field. IX. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Title V of the bill consists of a number of miscellaneous provisions, some of which are of substantive importance, and some of which are technical. AMENDMENT OF NATIONAL BANKING ACT Under provisions contained in titles I and II of the bill, a local public agency or a public housing agency may, in connection with a slum clearance or low-rent housing project, borrow moneys from private investors on short-term notes, instead of securing an advance from the Federal Government under its loan contract. Such short-term notes when issued may, under the bill, be secured by an unconditional agreement by the Federal Government to advance to the public agency under its loan contract moneys sufficient to meet the principal and interest at maturity of such short-term notes and required to be used for this purpose. In view of the special security features which would thus attach to these notes, section 502 (a) would authorize national banks and (to the extent permitted by State law) State member banks of the Federal Reserve System to purchase or underwrite such notes (having a maturity of not more than 18 months) without regard to present legal restrictions limiting transactions to a fixed percentage of the bank's capital and surplus. Similar authority is extended by this section with respect to certain long-term bonds of local public housing agencies to which special security features would attach in accordance with this bill under annual contributions contracts between the Federal Government and the local public agencies. This authority would be consistent with the present provisions of law which permit such banks to underwrite and deal in obligations of the United States Government, general obligations of any State or of any political subdivision thereof, and obligations issued under authority of the Federal Farm Loan Act or by the Federal home loan banks. The amendment to paragraph 7 of section 5136 of the Revised Statutes, made by subsection (a) of section 502, relates to short-term obligations only when they are classified as "investment securities." The Treasury Department, however, believes that some issues of these short-term notes may not have the qualifications of "investment securities" but would rather partake of the nature of a loan. Therefore, it is necessary also to amend section 5200 of the Revised Statutes which prescribes the same limitations for the purchase of loans as are prescribed by section 5136 for the purchase of investment securities. This is done by section 502 (b) of the bill. AMENDMENT OF GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS APPROPRIATION ACTS FOR 1948 AND 1949 The Government Corporations Appropriation Acts for 1948 and for 1949 included provisos to the effect that no payments of annual contributions should be made which were occasioned by payments in lieu of taxes in excess of amounts originally contracted for. This restriction had the effect of prohibiting payments in lieu of taxes equal to 10 percent of shelter rents, as had previously authorized by PHA, and as will be authorized in the future under subsection 205 (b) of this bill. These provisos of the two appropriation acts are therefore repealed as of the beginning of the fiscal years for which they apply, thus validating any payments already made with the approval of PHA and in other cases permitting payments in lieu of taxes on the restricted basis (generally 5 percent of shelter rents) authorized for these 2 years in subsection 205 (b). The section would also repeal a proviso in the Government Corporations Appropriation Act for 1949 which limits the number of employees of the Public Housing Administration above grades CAF10 and P-3 to not exceeding 20 percent of the total number of such employees. The committee believes that this limitation is unduly restrictive and that it will prove especially detrimental during the remainder of the fiscal year to efficient operations in view of the Public Housing Administration's increased responsibilities under this bill to furnish financial and technical aid to hundreds of local public agencies and to perform important supervisory activities with respect to those agencies. Similar considerations led the Committee on Appropriations to omit this personnel limitation from the provisions governing the Public Housing Administration contained in the independent offices appropriation bill for 1950, and the House last month passed that appropriation bill without such a limitation. CENSUS OF HOUSING The hearings on H. R. 4009 made it clear to your committee that there is an urgent need for comprehensive up-to-date information on our housing inventory which would throw light on the size and quality of the housing supply and the way in which this supply is currently being utilized. The committee was deeply impressed with the unanimity of favorable opinion of the witnesses, regardless of their views on other aspects of the bill, with regard to the necessity for enacting section 507. This section would give the Bureau of the Census the authority to conduct a census of housing in each of the 48 States and the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska in 1950 and decennially thereafter. This census would obtain information concerning the number, characteristics, quality, and geographic distribution of all dwelling units in the United States and the Territories. The Bureau of the Census would also be granted the authority to assemble supplemental statistics in advance of or after the taking of such housing census as it feels necessary to the completion of the project. In recommending a decennial census of housing, the committee does not in any way wish to minimize the value which is to be obtained from more frequent sample studies such as the one taken in April 1947. This sample study of the housing situation made it possible to identify the over-all dimensions of the present housing problem. It has also driven home to this committee the shortcomings of our present supply of housing in terms of its adequacy in coping with the needs of an important part of our population, namely, families of low and moderate incomes. Helpful as this sample study has been, there are still many gaps in our knowledge which can only be filled by a complete census of housing. Thus, it is not possible through sample studies to obtain detailed housing data on a locality basis. The most recent detailed locality information now available was provided in the 1940 Census of Housing. In view of the tremendous geographic shifts in population which have occurred since 1940, as well as the vast improvement in our general economic situation since that time, this information is in the main seriously outdated. It is imperative, therefore, that steps be taken to get necessary locality information on a current basis. Such current information will be invaluable, particularly to localities participating in programs under titles I and II of the bill. Entirely apart from its value to those directly concerned with the housing problems of the Nation, a census of housing is of tremendous assistance to the large segment of American business and industry which depends upon housing and home building for part or all of the outlet for its goods and services. Information obtained in the census of housing will, of course, also be of tremendous assistance to Federal, State, and local officials charged with the responsibility of dealing with problems of housing, building construction, social welfare, city planning, urban redevelopment, and related activities. Despite this widespread interest in housing information, there is now no specific authority for the taking of a census of housing in 1950 or in subsequent census years. Your committee calls attention to the paramount importance for completion by the Congress of early action on the necessary authorization for a census of housing. Such early legislative action is necessary to permit essential advance planning and organization, without which the quality of the 1950 census of housing would be impaired. This is especially true since planning has already started for the 1950 population census, and since the housing census is to be taken at the same time and by the same staff. Considerations similar to the foregoing led the House, on May 9, to pass H. R. 2203, a bill to provide for a housing census in 1950. However, your committee believes that the census provisions in this bill (sec. 507) should be enacted by the House as a part of this bill. These provisions are very similar to those of the bill already passed by the House except that this bill provides for a housing census as part of each decennial census hereafter. The census provisions of this bill are identical with those in S. 1070 as passed by the Senate, and this committee is convinced that these somewhat broader provisions should be adopted. AMENDMENTS CONCERNING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROPOSED BY THE COMMITTEE Your committee recommends the enactment of two new sections to be added to title V of the bill which it has found to be necessary if the District of Columbia is to be able to obtain the benefits provided for States, Territories, and municipalities under titles I and II of the bill. The proposed new section 508 would restore to the National Capital Housing Authority its power to acquire sites for low-rent public housing projects, thereby enabling the Authority to participate in the title II program on the same basis as other local housing authorities. The proposed new section 509 would permit the District of Columbia to obtain the benefits of Federal aid for slum clearance, under title I of this bill, on the same basis as provided in this bill for other cities throughout the country. The present District of Columbia Redevelopment Act would remain in full force and effect, but the amendment would provide an alternative method of financing slum-clearance and redevelopment operations in the District of Columbia by vesting in the Redevelopment Agency (subject to the approval of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia) the power to accept financial assistance authorized under title I of this bill. The proposed new section would also authorize the Administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency to allow credit for local grants-in-aid in connection with projects undertaken with the District of Columbia, under title I of this bill, to the same extent as local grants-in-aid are approvable forother ci ties and States. It would provide that in the event such local grants-in-aid are not sufficient to meet the local grants-in-aid requirements, the District Commissioners would be authorized to enter into agreements with the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency to make cash payments of such deficiencies from the funds of the District of Columbia. Appropriations to the District Commissioners would be authorized for such purpose where necessary. OTHER PROVISIONS Other provisions of this title of the bill provide for the appointment by the Housing and Home Finance Administrator of advisory committees which would serve to further cooperation between the Government and private persons and groups interested in housing from the viewpoints of the consumer, industry, finance, and labor; the appointment of and compensation for a Deputy Housing and Home Finance Administrator to assist the Administrator and to act in his absence; the inclusion of the Secretary of Labor, or his designee, and the Federal Security Administrator, or his designee, as members of the National Housing Council in the Housing and Home Finance Agency, in recognition of the interest of these agencies in problems related to the Federal Government's housing program; the conversion of certain State-aided low-rent or veterans' housing projects, under appropriate conditions, to low-rent housing assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937; and the usual terms as to separability and the act being controlling in the event of inconsistency with any other act. X. MAXIMUM RATES OF FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS UNDER H. R. 4009 1 May be increased, within total authorization, at any time or times by the President by additional amounts aggregating not more than $250,000,000. This amount added to existing authorization of $800,000,000 and the total authorization placed on a revolving-fund basis. Subject to annual determination by the Congress within these limits. 4 May be increased, within total authorization, at any time or times by the President by not to exceed additional amounts aggregating not more than $100,000,000. May be increased, within total authorization, at any time or times by the President by not to exceed additional amounts aggregating not more than $80,000,000. The annual contributions authorized for low-rent public housing may be paid over a 40-year period. The $100,000,000 is the maximum amount which may be paid in any 1 year. Since the inception of the original program, the annual contributions actually paid have amounted to 58.5 percent of the maximum amounts which could be paid. The contributions authorized for farm housing may be paid over a 10-year period. Any subsequent year. XI. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS OF H. R. 4009, AS AMENDED SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE This section provides a short and convenient form of citation. SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF NATIONAL HOUSING POLICY This section sets forth the national housing objectives as established by the Congress and the basic principles to be followed in attaining these objectives. In so doing it stresses the Nation's interest in housing production and related community development because of the basic contribution they can make both (1) toward improving the health and living standards of the people and (2) toward an economy of maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. Thus, the section establishes as specific objectives a volume of housing production and related community development sufficient to remedy the serious housing shortage, to eliminate slum and blighted areas, to realize as soon as feasible the goal of a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family, to redevelop communities so as to advance the growth and wealth of the Nation, and to enable the housing industry to make its full contribution toward an economy of maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. The keystone of the national housing policy established by the Congress in this section to facilitate the attainment of these objectives |