Henry Kaiser’s Huge Housebuilding Plan

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 110, 11 May 1945, Page 4

Henry Kaiser’s Huge Housebuilding Plan

Received Thursday, 9.60 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO, May 9

A nationwide home-building project likely to provide millions of post-war jobs is announced by Mr. Henry Kaiser. Land has already been acquired for the construction of 10,000 homes on the Pacific Coast. Two bedroom homes with a garage will initially cost 6,000 dollars, but it is hoped to reduce the price to less than 5,000 dollars later. The houses will be built in blocks with frontages varying from 52 feet to 70 feet with 100 feet to 150 feet depths. They will be built in groups of at least 200 with facilities for recreation, education and medical care in the centre of each group. Down payments on the houses will be 100 to 200 dollars. The subsequent payments, not exceeding 30 dollars monthly, will include medical and hospital expenses, also insurance against loss of working time due to illness. Air conditioning and heating units will be standardised and an air cleansing unit eliminating the necessity for dusting can be installed for an extra 150 dollars. The plans are complete to the extent of a separate compartment in the kitchen to dry stockings. The houses, though built on a fundamental pattern can be varied through differing positions of the garages, and porches, variations in shutter and roof styles an indiAridual appearance.