California Building Permits for June

Remodeling lmportant in \Var Housing Program

Remodeling or adding to existing properties for the purpose of creating additional dwelling units has become increasingly important in the war housing program, in the opinion of Wilson G. Binghanr, Southern California district director, Federal Housing Administration. "Recently the San Fernando Valley was given a conversion quota of 1,000 units and other communities have similar type programs," he said.

"The importance of this type housing program arises because of its simplicity, lot cost, minimum use of critical materials, and quickness of delivery into the occupancy of war workers," to further quote Mr. Bingham.

"The need for additional housing in critical war areas cannot be over-emphasized," he said. "Many properties are per{ectly suited to this conversion program. Often a small amount of remodeling will provide additional units and can be rented to war workers. Conversions to produce additional dwelling units may be accomplished by taking a habitable portion of any existing residence and using it as a nucleus to which is added sufficient building to create a residential unit, consisting of combination living roornbedroom, bath and kitchen.

"This conversion type of new housing, and also the use of 'existing homes' represent the major avenues of housing accommodations for the present day home seeker. These housing programs require a minimum drain on critical materials and the minimum of effort from labor and the quickest method of delivery.

"FHA-insured loans are available in each of these programs. Conversions often do not require real estate as security because the loans are often classed as 'character' loans and as such are available through approved lending institution,s generally, and in turn insured by FHA.

"FHA-insured loans to finance the purchase of existing properties are likewise available through most lending institutions. FHA property standards have just recently been modified in relation to existing properties which results in eliminating many minor mandatory construction requirements. Eligibility may now be declared primarily upon location, continuing marketability, structural soundness, and desirable living conditions."

BOB HALES F'LYING INSTRUCTOR

Bob Hales, formerly of the order department, The Pacific Lumber Co., San Francisco, recently completed his flying course and is now an instructor at Phoenix, Ariz. He was commissioned, a 2nd, Lieutenant.

Y(lU G(IME FIRST after

BUT the well known EWAUNA mark will always be-

FIRST for texture

FIRST for millwork

FIRST for kiln-drying

FIRST for unifonn grades

FIRST for service

BOX GO, Mill, Factory,

and

Saler Ofice KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON

Central California Representative Pyramid Lumber Sales Co., Oaktand

To The Deaters

We hcve been engaged for some time in the lcrbriccrtion oI materiqls lor cnticles that qre directly connected with wcr needs. lltfe cre, therelore not cble to lurnish any oI the items lor which we hcd developed cr wide mcrket-Eubcnk honing Bocrrds, Cabinets, or Mcntels.

However, we cre crlso plcnning lor the future, crnd when the time comes will cnnounce c new crnd more extensive line of Eubcnk products.

MAPLE, BIRCH AND BEECH FLOORING

Maple, birch and beech flooring are provided by tliE OPA with specific dollars-and-cents maximum prices at the producers' level which are approximately 7/o higher than the old GMPR prices, the increases representing adjustments for advances in cost of material and labor whiclr has taken place since March, 1942. (MPR 432), effective luly 24..

Cmp Allotments

According to a WPB interpretation of CMP Regtrlatiorr 1, a manufacturer may use an allotment to replace in inventory controlled materials used to manufacture the protluct for which the allotment was originally made. This interpretation states that the quarter for which an allotment is made and the quarter in which delivery of a class A product is to be made need not be the same, making it possible for a manufacturer to use an earlier or later quarterly allotment to fit in with production needs (Interpretation 11 to CMPR 1), issued July 19.

Northern Softwood Boards

Species of northern softwood rough box or crating boards that may not be included in mixed shipments by sellers are white pine, northern pine, eastern spruce and jack pine, the OPA declares. Through an error the OPA explains, the names of the specials were omitted from the table of maximum prices for mixed shipments of these boards and they are now inserted in the mixed shipments table of ceiling prices (Amendment 1 to Revised Maximum Price Regulation 222), effective July N.

Wooden Fence Posts

Specific dollars-and-cents prices for all principal grades of wooden fence posts at production, wholesale and retail levels throughout the nation are set by OPA' The new maximums authorize some increases ranging up to 35/o in the prices farmers and other actual users generally may be required to pay for a post of Southern yellow pine and Western red cedar, but no change from the Match, 1942, level is made in other species (Revised Maximum Price Regulation 324), eftective July 2'

Shook Lumber

Growers' service organizations are authorized by OPA to add a markup of. lo/o to their maximum prices in sales of shook (used for agricultural wooden containers) and covers to farmers and other fruit and vegetable growers in carload lots. For sales in less-than-carload lots, a markup of. 2O/o is established. The amendment also rewords a section to state specifically that maximum prices for warehouses in the Northwest area shall be their charges for warehousing and delivery, plus the basic price, plus freight from the mill to the warehouse. (Amendment 7 to Maximum Price Regulation 186), efiective July 13'

Logging

Loggers are given an additional 30 days by the OPA in which to file proposals for dollars-and-cents prices for contract logging services and for stumpage. The new deadline is August 14. (Amendment 6 to MPR 348), effective July 16.

Appalachian Hardwood Lumber

To relieve the industry of the necessity of filing proposed prices for the grades with the OPA, that agency announces the streamlining of provisions for pricing certain grades of Appalachian hardwood lumber (Amendment 13 to MPR 146), effective July 23.

RE?AIR MATERIALS

According to the WPB, products or materials for repairs or replacements may not be obtained under CMP regulation 5 if they are capitalized on the purchaser's books, except insofar as this is expressly permitted with respect to minor capital additions (interpretation 8 to CMPR 5), issued Jaly 17.

Housing Ratings

Preference ratings and symbols assigned by CMP Regulation 5A may not be used by any local housing authority according to a WPB direction (Direction 1 to CMP Regulation 5A), issued July 19.

Construction

Provisions for the individual adjustment of maximum prices for contractors who supply construction services or who install building and industrial equipment in local shortage situations are announced by OPA. OPA regional directors are authorized to act in such situations. (Amendment 2 to Maximum Price Regulation 251), effective July t2.

Copper Wire And Cable

Copper wire and cable in distributors, stocks are no longer subject to inventory restrictions on Order L-63. The exemption covers any .,bare or insulated wire or cable for electrical conduction made from copper or copper base alloy" (Suppliers' Inventory Order L-63, ", amended), issued July 10.

Streamlines Price Regulation

To eliminate, whenever possible, necessity of the lumber industry filing of forms with OpA and at the sanre time to simplify pricing procedures, the OpA streamlines its price regulation for Central hardwood lumber (Amend_ mentT to MPR 155), effective July 14.

Construction

WPB brings materials for construction under CMp in a regulation which provides a uniform method which may be used to obtain materials for construction (CMp Regulation No. 6), issued June 30.

Furniture Industry

The WPB agrees to afford partial relief for a limited period to furniture manufacturers that are running into serious difficulties through inability to obtain fiber ship_ ping-containers by granting a rating of AA_5 for a 3Gday supply to concerns which are urgently in need of assrstance. In the meantime, the furniture industry and their container suppliers will initiate programs to eliminate un_ necessary uses of shipping containers.

Wood Matches

Maximum prices for distributors of wood matches which were established April 14,1943, ot ll|/o of the actual prices charged by the manufacturer are increased by OpA to lfr/o for sales of less than case quantities and continued at ll5/o for deliveries of full ."r".

1A-"ndment 1 to Maxi_ mum Price Regulation 365), efieciive July 15.

Aircraft Veneer

Copper Wire

A simple method for use by retailers and warehouses in supplying copper wire to farmers under CMp is set forth by WPB. To obtain copper wire in excess of the 75 f.eet permitted under Priorities Regulations 19, farmers may obtain "copper wire allotment certificates', which are issued by county USDA War Boards on the basis of aplica- tions which show actual need of such wire for farm operations. Retailers receiving ordirs for this wire supported by such certificates are given two alternative methods by which they may obtain such wire, but only one of these methods may be used during any one month (Direction 2l to CMP Regulation 1), issued July lZ.

War Housing

In a joint declaration of policy the WpB and NHA liberalize the regulations controlling the sale of privately financed war-housing so that a builder may sell ,rf to orr"third of the total dwelling units in all projects which he had placed under construction in any one war housing area under WPB priorities applied for on or after Febru_ ary lO, 1943. Remaining units which must be held for rental, may be sold to eligible war worker occupants after two months rental occupancy, at the option of the tenant.

Mohogany

At a meeting in Washington the WpB mahogany importer-manufactuiers' industry advisory committee -is informed that mahogany requirements for 1944 will be slightly greater than those of the present year and the committee makes various recommendations among them one that action on the General Conservation Order M-IZZ be delayed until inventory and distribution is further studied.

Wooden Barrels

"Tight" wooden barrels and the wooden parts used in their manufacture are provided with specific dollars and cents maximum prices by OPA. Another regulation is to be issued later, OPA says, covering .,slack,' barrels which are not constructed according to the existing tiqlia_nota_ ing specifications demanded in tight barrels. For the highest grade barrels such as "Bourbon,, barrels for aging whisky the new maximums are lower than those previously provided but for the lower grade barrels the n"o, -a*imums are sharply higher (Maximum price Regulation 424), retroactive to April 3, 1943.

At a recent meeting of the WpB hardwood veneer manu_ facturing industry advisory committee, it was revealed that it may become necessary to allocate birch and hard maple logs since requirements for birch and hard maple aircraft veneer are greatly in excess of present production. Sdte /9/2