[users@httpd] per-user authorisation without .htaccess

[basant mudalgi]

Hey guys,
i had sent this before but i dont know if the group got this mail....anyway here it is again...
1. every user (say foo) on my webserver gets a user directory /home/foo/private_html which she and only she should be able to access
2.this, as i know, can be done placing a .htaccess file in /home/foo/private_html directory and setting the "Require user foo" directive there.
The problem with this is the huge overhead incurred when im setting up a new user and everytime apache serves something from private_html.
3.what i would prefer is setting this up in one of the root configuration files and using certain global variables in the directive such as
"<Directory /home/*/private_html>
Require user $foovariable
</Directory>"
... just like mass virtual hosting
can this be done?...and if yes ...how so?
please help

--
Basant Mudalgi