Homes for Veterans

Produced: 1946

Length: 28 Minutes

To unify the many federal housing agencies, President Roosevelt created (1942) the National Housing Agency, which included the Federal Public Housing Authority, the Federal Home Loan Bank Administration, and the FHA. The short film tackles the depressing housing conditions of the veterans and the governments action to resolve the problem.Welcome home. Well done.At the start of the film Robert is welcomed with these warm words when he came home from the war. There is no place like home. However, there was no home for him to come to. His wife and son were living with relatives in a three-room apartment. When he asked where the kids hung out, they pointed to the couch. He asked himself, What has happened in the land of the free and the home of the brave? For him this is unacceptable. Now that he is back, he will get a spot for his own family. He wants a roof of their own, a place of their own. Robert and his wife looked all over the city to buy a house or an apartment to rent but to no avail. Everyone seemed to be looking for a place to live in. The film showed that Robert is not the only veteran who had housing problems after the war as this was a major problem of the government after World War II. There had been a lag in housing construction while population has rapidly increased. There was also shortage of building materials as well as manpower. Pledge to the Veterans At the time it was a priority of the US government to build houses for the veterans. It was clear that the veterans were in no position to buy or build houses so the government gave them options to rent or to borrow money. As this program requires community action, the federal government pledged to utilize resources to stimulate the amount of production. Labor industries on the other hand pledged to augment manpower for the production of the houses. The FHA will issue insurance and mortgages. The Federal Home Loan Bank will aid the veterans by lending money with very low interest. Operation: Hometown USA The main point of the film is to show that the US government is aware of the problems faced by the veterans. This awareness led to the launching of the Veterans Emergency Housing Program. The goal of this project is to solve the housing problems in 100 cities in America. The target is to build 2.7 million homes and apartments by the end of 1947. However, this cant be done overnight. The government, the housing industry, and the labor force needs to join in an all out effort to address the problem. An emergency committee was created, composed of friends and neighbors who gathered to discuss the communitys concern. The veterans, the local housing authority, the real estate developer, the home financing institution, the minority groups, the media, and the womens organization were all represented.All over the country, large and small cities all created similar committees to solve housing problems. The film shows a typical meeting wherein different subcommittees presented their methods in helping resolve the housing issue. The referral subcommittee, for example, opened a referral center wherein returning veterans can get information, consultation, and advise regarding their desired house. If the veterans decide to build a house instead of rent, they will be advised to submit an application to the FHA and Federal Home Loan Bank Administration.It can also be seen in the film that efforts are made by the Publicity subcommittee to disseminate information regarding the housing projects. This includes releasing of posters, asking radio stations to interview the veterans, and asking newspapers to feature articles regarding the housing. Letters were also sent to clergymen requesting them to appeal to members of their congregation to open their homes. Similar letters were also sent to womens clubs, service clubs, realtors, and property owners. The subcommittee on planning on the other hand surveyed the city of unused housing, garage or attic space that can be used to accommodate more people. Large houses were also planned to be remodeled into apartments. Building the FutureThe film concludes with Robert and his wife and son still looking for a place to live. They might have to wait a bit more before they can have a place of their own. The important thing is the welfare of veterans like him is the top priority of the authorities. Committees were already created so that local problems are faced and argued out in a democratic process, planning their future and the future of the nation. Everyone is meeting the large demands of the 20th century. Communities will provide neighborhoods where men and women can live in comfort and dignity. There will be wider spaces and community facilities will be available for all. There will be more air and sunlight, more living rooms to hang out, more houses, and rich full lives for everyone.