Statement by the President Upon Issuing Order Delaying the Disposal of World War II Housing.

I HAVE today issued an Executive order extending the time within which steps may be taken to dispose of World War II housing built by the Federal Government. Over 200,000 units still under the jurisdiction of the Housing and Home Finance Agency are affected. This action is one part of the program authorized by the Congress in the Defense Housing and Community Facilities and Services Act of 1951. With the other measures which that act enables us to take, this will help to relieve the housing shortages created or intensified by the mobilization effort.

In one sense, it is too bad that we must continue to try to use our temporary housing. The present tenants, the defense workers, and the military personnel who will use these quarters on a preferred basis deserve better accommodations. I am going to do everything I can to speed the building of better, permanent housing for them. But for the time being, because of the defense emergency, we must use every decent home near military and production centers.

The housing covered by this Executive order was built to meet World War II needs. Originally the Federal Government put up 400,000 units of temporary housing and about 180,000 units of permanent housing. The 81st Congress, in the Housing Act of 1950, provided a timetable for disposition of temporary housing by transfer to local communities. Another timetable was set up for the disposal of World War II housing not so transferred. The Executive order issued today revises these timetables and extends the various deadlines involved.

Immediately after the outbreak of hostilities in Korea last summer, disposition of World War II housing was suspended. We had to make sure that federally-held housing, previously scheduled for demolition, would be available for new defense needs. This Executive order will allow additional time to determine which of the projects may still be needed.

Under this order the date for notice of eviction to the present tenants is postponed from July 1, 1952, to July 1, 1953. New tenants will now be admitted as vacancies occur until July 1, 1952. Where housing is transferred to local communities, provision will be made where necessary to insure that the housing will continue to be made available to defense workers and military personnel. Any municipality which wants to apply for transfer of temporary housing may now do so until December 31, 1951, and will have until June 30, 1952, to comply with the legal requirements prior to transfer.