Executive Order 8632—Coordination of National Defense Housing

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the statutes, in order to define further the functions and duties of the Office for Emergency Management of the Executive Office of the President with respect to the national emergency as declared by the President to exist on September 8, 1939, and for the purpose of providing for the effective discharge of responsibilities imposed upon me by the statutes mentioned in paragraph 1, and for assuring proper coordination of all defense housing activities, it is hereby ordered as follows: 1. The term "defense housing" as used in this order shall include all housing authorized by: (a) United States Housing Act of 1937, approved September 1, 1937 (50 Stat. 888), as amended, so far as projects developed under the authority of this Act relate to national defense activities. (b) Title II of the Act of June 28, 1940, 54 Stat. 676, 681. (c) Second Supplemental National Defense Appropriation Act, 1941, approved September 9, 1940 (Public No. 781, 76th Cong.). (d) Act of June 11, 1940, 54 Stat. 265 (including housing authorized by allocations from emergency funds available under such Act). (e) Act of June 13, 1940, 54 Stat. 350 (including housing authorized by allocations from emergency funds available under such Act). (f) Act of October 14, 1940, Public No. 849, 76th Congress. 2. The term "Federal housing agency" as used in this order shall include all executive departments and independent agencies, including corporations in which the United States owns all or a majority of the stock, either directly or indirectly, which: (a) Plan, construct, or operate defense housing facilities. (b) Grant loans or subsidies for public housing purposes. (c) Encourage or assist the financing or construction of private housing. (d) Conduct surveys or analyses of housing conditions and housing markets. 3. There is hereby established within the Office for Emergency Management of the Executive Office of the President, a Division of Defense Housing Coordination at the head of which there shall be a Coordinator of Defense Housing appointed by the President. The Coordinator of Defense Housing, hereinafter referred to as the Coordinator, shall perform his duties and functions under the direction and supervision of the President and shall report to the President through the Liaison Officer for Emergency Management. The Coordinator shall receive compensation at such rate as the President shall approve and in addition shall be entitled to actual and necessary transportation, subsistence, and other expenses incidental to the performance of his duties. 4. Subject to such policies, directions, and regulations as the President may from time to time prescribe, the Coordinator, in cooperation with all departments and agencies which have responsibilities for defense activities, and utilizing the services and operating facilities of Federal housing agencies to the maximum, shall perform the following duties and responsibilities: (a) Establish and maintain liaison between the several departments and establishments of the Government and such other agencies, public or private, as the Coordinator may deem necessary or desirable, to facilitate proper coordination of, and economy and efficiency in, the provision of housing facilities essential to the national defense. (b) Anticipate the need for housing in localities in which persons are engaged, or are to be engaged, in national defense activities; analyze reported defense housing needs; coordinate studies and surveys of Federal housing agencies in areas of national defense activity; and facilitate the full use of existing housing accommodations. (c) Formulate and recommend to the President coordinated defense housing programs with the objective of avoiding shortages, delays, duplication and overlapping in defense housing; and advise each Federal housing agency of its part in each proposed program. (d) Facilitate the execution of approved housing programs through private industry or through appropriate governmental agencies and take appropriate steps to eliminate obstacles which impede the expeditious provision of defense housing. (e) Advise with private and Federal agencies in the formulation of plans, terms, rental and management policies, and other factors involved in developing and operating approved defense housing projects. (f) Keep continuously informed of the progress of the defense housing program, and report regularly thereon to the President and to the several interested departments and agencies. (g) Review proposed or existing legislation relating to or affecting defense housing activities and recommend such additional legislation as may be necessary or desirable to assure the effective and expeditious provision of adequate housing facilities for persons engaged, or to be engaged, in national defense activities.(h) Perform such other duties relating to the coordination of defense housing as the President may from time to time delegate. 5. Within the limits of such funds as may be appropriated to the Division of Defense Housing Coordination, or as may be allocated to it by the President through the Bureau of the Budget, the Coordinator may employ necessary personnel and make provision for the necessary supplies, facilities, and services. However, the Division of Defense Housing Coordination shall use insofar as practicable such statistical, informational, fiscal, personnel, and other general business services and facilities as may be made available through the Office for Emergency Management or other agencies of the Government. FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT The White House, January 11, 1941.