Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 19, 1945.
City Hard Hit By Housing Scarcity
Scores Seek Houses, Apartments and Building Lots In City.
By HELEN KELSO
The critical shortage of houses in Valparaiso, typical of a desperate situation throughout the nation, is tied in a knot so tight that it will be spring before things loosen up, in the opinion of Valparaiso contractors and realtors, it was learned today in a city-wide survey.
Real estate dealers and apartment managers are turning down on the average of 20 to 30 calls for rentals daily, and a construction bottle-neck exists that promises no building program for Valparaiso before spring at the earliest. Listings of saleable properties are low, according to realtors, and in many cases exorbitant prices are being demanded by property owners. In the opinion of one realtor at least several hundred new homes are needed here.
One of the worst plights is that of the returned married veteran, who is literally finding himself a man without a home. Franklin Burrus, director of the Porter County Veterans’ Affairs office, said that he received daily calls from veterans asking help in locating homes; and that in only one case had his office been able to solve this problem.
“At least a dozen responsible out-of-town businesses are trying to find locations in Valparaiso,” N.N. Claudon of J.H. Claudon and Son Realtors, said. “We have a long waiting list of renters seeking five and six room homes. Inquiries for lots are also increasing and big farms around the city might prove desirable for future homesites, if subdivided. It is distressing to us we are not able to supply homes, especially to the boys returning from service.”
L.L. Brown, realtor, declared that he had had nothing to rent for two years, with the exception of several apartment houses, and did not see any likelihood for immediate improvement.
The demand for rentals at present greatly exceeds the supply, Brown said. “The public is beginning to get panicky. I personally know of one family that has been sold out three times this year, the last time within 30 days. I don’t believe building can catch up with the demand for five years. The same condition exists all over the United States.”
An example of the checkerboard of moves necessitated by the intricate housing situation, is the chain involving a returned serviceman, Charles Trump.
Trump and his family are at present living in the Byron Smith summer home at Flint Lake. Trump has purchased a home from R.C. Humphrey, 802 Lafayette. Humphrey is waiting to move into a home which he purchased from M.J. Stinchfield at 307 Weston, now occupied by R.H. Lanham. Lanham intends to move into an apartment owned by Stinchfield on Washington, which has just been vacated by Harry Albe, who moved to 825 Lincolnway. The moving process will be drawn out considerably by necessary decorating, etc., in the various cases.
I have more buyers than places to submit, Stan Serbenz, realtor, commented. What the people want nowadays and what they can get are two different things. I have numerous calls from out-of-town people desiring to locate in Valparaiso. Persons who can’t buy or rent are asking for lots, with the intention of building. There is some demand for acreage, also because of the sense of stability it affords.
Byron Smith of Smith and Nuppnau Co., reported that the present large demand for new homes could not possibly be met by construction companies for some time because of difficulty in procuring materials in all lines, particularly lumber. J.M. Krauss, Krauss Lumber and Coal Co., and George Bond, Indiana Construction Co., affirmed the long-term viewpoint for construction relief in the housing field.
Governmental release of surplus stock, possibly enough to supply the nation for more than a year, might give the lumber mills time enough to meet the situation, was the more optimistic hope held by Frank Clifford of Foster Lumber and Construction Co. The lack of materials and strikes are causing a desperate situation. If manpower were available right now to cut lumber, it would take six or eight months for proper drying, he said.
Valparaiso Technical institute, formerly the Dodge Radio school, is finding it tough in house married veterans, and almost impossible to accommodate married students with a child. The problem is particularly acute in this instance because approximately a third of the institute is enrolled in the school’s 18-month course.
School authorities have met the situation in several cases by renting or buying trailers, which are located in a trailer camp near the institute. Three couples are now on the school’s home or apartment waiting list and, with enrollment increasing daily, it may be necessary for the school to turn down some applications in January unless conditions improve, according to Mrs. Edna W. Davis. Plans are being drawn for a dormitory to accommodate single students, but when this project can be completed, with present shortages is enigma.
Valparaiso university has only a few married veterans enrolled and we have succeeded in housing the entire student body this fall without turning any away, Dr. Marshall J. Jox, of the university said. The university greatly expanded its housing facilities by purchasing seven private homes, which accommodate between 15 to 20 students each; and remodelling the building formerly occupied by the Dodge radio school into a girls’ dormitory, which houses 79 students, Jox said, explaining that men students were housed in scattered university residences in the school vicinity.
Moving of families into Valparaiso and out of the city is about even, according to Frank Ferguson of the Ferguson Transfer and Storage Co. there is a general upheaval of the population, Ferguson said, with many more families desiring to move than can find suitable homes. The particular need in Valparaiso seems to be for five or six room dwellings, he said Storage space is at a premium with numerous families placing their belongings in storage until they can find homes.
Hotel Lembke is turning away more than 25 transients nightly, a call to the hotel desk revealed. The Stiles apartments have been full for months with a long waiting list of prospective tenants and four or five daily inquiries, the resident manager said. Tourist homes and cabins in and around Valparaiso, are also booked to the hilt. Valparaiso university board and guild meetings scheduled for this week-end; and a homecoming celebration on the calendar for next week-end, are adding to the problem.