Home lnvestment lnflux Vital in Los Angelcs

Chorles C. Cohon in Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles, making mighty new growth as a metropolis of homes, is in the peculiarly favorable position of having to meet a housing demand originating not only from the requirements of its present population but also caused by an influx of home builders and buyers from many other parts of the nation and from foreign lands.

llow tremendously important is the latter phase of the city's residential increase is strikingly disclosed by the fact that in the period from June 30, last year, to July 1, this year, 85 per cent of all the new single-family homes for owner occupancy were constructed by those who came first as tourists within comparatively recent years.

The significance of this home investment from such source is made additionally impressive by the official report that this year, up to November 18, there have been 5642 new single-family dwellings authorized here as compared with DL9 for all of 1935.

The percentage of owner-occupied home construction here mentioned, disclosed in a conducted survey under auspices of the All-Year Club, Southern California's nonprofit tourist bureau, emphasizes the tremendous importance to the welfare of this city and all the Southland of keeping the world informed of this region's unparalleled attractions as a place in which to establish a home.

The survey shows that most of these new residents made one or more visits here before returning to locate permanently and that the majority of the visits were for pleasure. Fifty-seven per cent made their first visit after l92O and 66 per cent have returned here since that year.

And here is an especially impressive fact:

Of the total, 86.4 per cent returned to locate here permanently within five years after their visit.

Cornparison with the housing demand arising from the first factor, the requirements of the already established population, adds great weight to the importance of maintaining an influx of home investment from the outside. The club's intensive studies of the situation show that in the

1933-1936 span 48,600 hous,ing units were absorbed, the population increase during that period, according to figures of the California Taxpayers' Association having been 38,700 families. The club's analysis brings the conclusion that the dfference between the two figures, or about 10,000 familes, represents the extent of the "undoubling" of families that in the economic upset years after 1929- had doubled up for various economic reasons.

The vitally important fact that must be considered and acted on by Los Angeles and all the rest of the Southland is to direct the travel of a great stream of desirable tourists to this region in the ensuing years with the same vigor as in the years that saw Southern California's phenomenal growth resulting to vast degree from such influx.

The All-Year Club, experienced and equipped for carrying the story of Southern California to all the world, finds encouragement of its efforts in the fact that former visitors who have built new homes here in the twelve-months span from June 30, 1935, to July 1, this year, came from thirt-r-seven States and several foreign ,countries.

Southern California needs must take close heed of the fact that the club is not without extensive, wellorganized and well-financed competition in the field of attracting tourist travel. Other States, other sections of the nation. foreign lands, are backing organizations devoted to the effort to attract and divert tourist travel to those regions they represent.

The All-Year Club demonstrated to the world what it as a well-organized., all-year-functioning agency had done and could accomplish and thus it is only natural that competitive efforts have been growing with a rapidity that intimately'concerns every resident of the Southland.

Equipped with an agency dedicated to selling Southem California to the world, the Southland through it can exert a mighty influence in keeping a desirable tourist flow in this direction that not only will help mightily to upbuild this region but also will be essential in stabilizing a prosperity rising from newly stimulated investment and construction activity in this best of all regions.