National Housing Emergency, 1946-1947

Report Outline
Changed Basis of Emergency Housing Program
Achievements Under Wyatt Housing Program
Failures of Emergency Housing Program
Remedies for Long Term Housing Deficit

Changed Basis of Emergency Housing Program

An act of congress, May 22, 1946, declared a national housing emergency and clothed the Executive Branch of the government with special powers to deal with it. The special powers were to continue in existence until December 31, 1947, for it was believed that the acute shortage of housing could not be overcome before that date. Under the emergency program more housing was built during 1946 than in any peacetime year since 1928 but the new construction fell far short of meeting the accumulated demand. Veterans returning from the theatres of war were finding as much difficulty in obtaining suitable living quarters sixteen months after the close of the war as they had immediately after V-J Day.

The government's emergency program was sharply revised, and all but reversed, by President Truman, Dec. 14, 1946, although he said there would be “no major modification in the objective of rapidly and adequately housing our veterans.”

I am determined that a vigorous housing program will continue to be carried out in 1947 [the President said]. The techniques we will use are those that will work today. I am convinced that this 1947 program will produce results.… We, as a nation, owe the veterans an opportunity to have homes. We will see that they get them.