ldeol House-Plqn Developed to TopRetirement Group Soles

DFPA Mokes First C)verlure To Big New Housing Morket

A model home desigrred as the first step toward opening a new annual market for 250,000 housing units will be on display January 9-12 in Washington, D.C., for the White House Conference on Agrng. The house is being designed and built by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association and two co-sponsoring organizations, the 500,000-member National Retired Teachers Association and American Association of Retired Persons.

The compact, well-desigrted house was carefully planned to appeal to Americans over 60. The U.S. Bureau of the Census estimates this age bracket includes 21 million persons and about 18.4 million make up the potential market for this type of house.

The model home is an outgrowth of a recent conference of retirement housing experts sponsored by DFPA to pinpoint a market it has been exploring for two years, according to W. E. Difford, executive vice-president of the plylvood association. This conference laid down the requirements followed by DF PA staff architect Robert B. Waring, chief designer of the house.

The specific house built for the White House conference is only one of a number of architectural variations possible with the basic plan, which also is capable of being combined in duplexes and fourplexes, or used in tract or row-housing developments. The plan was eng'ineered to be built conventionally or with a number of panelization or component techniques.

Difford, who made a joint arnouncement with William C. Fitch,

Speciolized

IMMEDIATE

Welfare Secretary

Arthur S. Flemming (center)

Donald A. Jaenicke (left), Special Proiects Director ot the DFPA and William C. Fitch, executive director of the National Retired Teachers Assn, and the American Assn. of Retired Persons,are co-sponsors of non-profit organizations executive secretary of the two associations of retired persons, said the house is only one element of a comprehensive program now in the planning stag:es.

"We have studieil thls market in the same way we surveyed the market for leisure homes," Dllforil said. 'A lot of people who havo assumed that retired persona are too poor or too set in thelr ways to conslder new houslng are golng to be shocked at the facts we have dlscovered."

Difford said a complete information package will be put together in early 1961 that will satisfy the demands of potential buyers' builders and land developers with an interest in the retirement market. Information will come from DF PA's two-year study, from its own conference, from results of the housing section of the White House meeting, and from the 500,000 members of Fitch's organizations, who are being surveyed on their needs and desires for housing. In addition, a detailed questionnaire will be given to the 4,000 delegates to the White House conference, asking specific questions about this house and about retirement housing in general.

Part of this information already is developed, Difrord said, and will be available at the model house and from DF'PA headquarters in Tacoma, Wash.

The model house is a low-cost, compact, minimum-maintenance desigrl with features based on detailed studies of this market. No effort was made to design a "home for the handicapped," but the special features would increase the comfort and livability for any family. It could be inexpensively converted for use by handicapped persons, however. In general, the most modern principles of good home design were followed. Some examples:

1. All doors and openings are at least 3 feet wide. This size contributes to a sense of spaciousness and also allows more ease of movement, easier moving of furniture or appliances and, if required, simplifies pansage of a wheel chair.

2. An eave overhang 3 ft., 6 in. wide protects the walk in front of the house and a 3-foot wide overhang shelters the remainder of the house perimeter.

3. There are no changes of level anywhere in the house. The entry walk level continues into the house and is maintained at the rear doors and carport.

4. Electrical outlets are 18 inches above the floor level, to eliminate tangling and inconvenience when cleaning, and to make stooping unnecessary.

5. Light switches and doorknobs are 36 inches from the floor, the height proven to be mo'st convenient. It's hardly necessary to lift more than a finger to turn lights on.

6. Master light switches for all rooms are located near the door to the carport, at the entry, and in the master bedroom. This makes it possible to light the way ahead in the dark and later to

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