Vast numbers of Hiroshima residents lost their houses to the A-bombing. The makeshift barracks set up along the rivers were washed away in the Makurazaki Typhoon that fall. Later, more residents were displaced by the plan to rebuild Hiroshima on a city-block grid. These, along with a shortage of building materials and general shortage of funds, created a severe housing shortage.
　It was decided that an area called Motomachi, formerly used by the military (0.3-1 km north of the hypocenter), would become the site of ten long housing complexes designed to provide temporary winter housing and transitional homes for returnees from overseas. A public corporation was established, and the uniform housing units were built quickly.