“Mass Building For Uncle Sam,” The Globe and Mail. December 10 1937. Page 04. --- Roosevelt Looks for Private Construction of New Homes --- Washington (CP). - Negotiations for private construction of 200 pre-fabricated homes at Greenbelt, Maryland, the United States Government’s ‘model community,’ near the Capital, are near completion, presaging an early start on the new Roosevelt housing program. The project, complying with President Roosevelt’s theory of large-scale home construction under private auspices, was described as probably the biggest pre-fabricated housing experiment in history. Heretofore, the suburban housing project has been financed completly by the Government, which has put up 885 homes and community facilities for a town of 3,000 homes. Officials hope for private construction of the remaining 2,015 home units. The homes will be rented and the tenants will form a non-profit corporation to take over the mortage from the construction company. The corporation will pay the Government a land rental, which Government officials hope will help liquidate the Government’s overhead investment in the community. About 150 families have moved into Greenbelt at rentals ranging from $18 to $35 a month. Occupancy of the Government-constructed homes has been limited to families with incomes of $2,200 or less.
