Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-02
RENT PROEI|IEE:RING
. BILL UP TOMORROW
..
Redrafted Johnson Measure to
Be Considered by Senate
District Committee.
SPEEDY ACTION EXPECTED

SPEEDY ACTION EXPECTED
The Senate District committee Is to
meet tomorrow to consider the re-
drafted Johnson rent profiteering bill.
which will be reported to 1t at that time
by a subcommittee which for several
weeks has had the measure under con-
sideration. The belief is that the full
committee will act speedily upon the
measure and will report 1t to the Sem
ate at an early date.
The subcommittee. headed by Senator
Pomerens Of Ohio, worked throughout
yesterday on the pronteering bill The
bill IL vastly different in form from
the johnson bill pasted by the House.
but its authors believe 1t to be much
moro practicable and just as strong
measure to prevent prof1teering in
rents.
Rent Administrator Provided For.
AS already outlined in The Star. the
bill provides for rent administrator
and a board of appeals. and also throws
, safeguard around tenants. provioln9
they shall not be ousted as long az
they pay the rent and do not mis- y.
used by the owner or some one IN his
or her employ.
The basic rent established Is that
charged October /, 1917.
The bill makes various provisions Tor
the rental Of property not rented on
that date and for new buildings since
| that date. The last may be rented at
z per cent Of their valuation.
Legal Rate of Rent Established.
While tho new bill provides for q rent
administrator as does the bill drafted
by the local real estate brokers. IT
establishes a legal or standard rate OF
differing greatly from the brokers' bill.
which fixed no standard of rents, but
left the matter, in the hands Of the
rent administrator,
The rent administrator under the new
bill Is to be appointed by the President.
and must be q resident of the District
Of Columbia
The board of District assessors Is to
Ibe the board to which appeals from
decisions by tho rent administrator will
be taken.
ANY attempt on the part of landlords
Of apartment houses or boarding houses
to make the tenants pay independently
AZ the rent for gas or heating or other
service which was previously included
in the rent will be considered viola
ton Of the law.
Penalties are provided for persons
violating the proposed law. both for
those who rent premises to others and
for those who pay the rent. They will
be held guilty Of misdemeanors and
shall be subject to fne not exceeding
$1,000.
Text Of Redrafted Bill.
Tho text Of tho redrafted bill is as
THAT by reason Of the existence of
state Of war, it Is essential to the ma
tional security and defense. and for
the successful prosecution Of the war.
assure adequate regulation Of real
estate in the District of Columbia for
and during tho period hereinafter set
forth. and the President, through the
rent administrator, is authorized to
make and promulgate such rules. resu-
lations and orders. not inconsistent
herewith. as are essential effectively
to carry out the provisions Of this act.
Section 2. Standard for Rent-The
rent for real estate within the District
Of Columbia shall not be in excess Of
the following rates herein provided
for:
"(a) The rent, whether by the day.
week, month or year, at which real
estate was let on October I, 1917, or
(b) II not rented on that date, the
rent, whether by the day, week, month
or year, at which it was thus last let
was not rented on or prior to October
i 1, 1917, then 1t may be rented for an
amount equal to per centum net on a
valuation equal to the assessed valua-
ton Of said property for taxation plus
fifty per centum thereof. Said rents
above prescribed shall be the standard
rents for said several classes of prop
erty. and prima facia shall be reason
able rents therefor.
"Sec. 3. Increase Of rent-Where
and how allowed.-(a) Where the land
lord or lessor incurs expenditures on
the improvement or structural altera-
ton Of such real estate mot including
expenditures for decoration or repairs)
an increase Of rent at the rate OF not
exceeding Z per centum per annum on
| the amount SO expended shall not be
deemed to be an increase OF rent Tor
| the purposes of this act.
"(b) Any transfer to tenant OF
any burden or liability previously borne
by the landlord or lessor shall be treat
| ed as an alteration of rent. and where,
on which such real estate is held are,
on tho whole, less favorable to the ten
ant than the previous terms. the rent
| shall be deemed to be increased.
| whether or not the sum peTlOoiCAIly
| payable by way of rent charge Is In
creased; and any increase Of rent as a
result Of any transfer to a landlord or
lessor Of any burden or liability pre-
viously borne by the tenant, where. as
the result Of such transfer, tho terms
| on which such real estate Is held are.
on the whole, moro favorable to the
tenant than the previous terms. shall
! be deemed not to be an increase OF rent
| for the purposes OF this act.
"Ic) Wherever any Increase OF rent
is by this act permitted. no such In a,
crease shall be duo or recoverable until
thirty days after the landlord or lessor
! has served upon the tenant notice In
| writing Of his intention to make said
| increase, accompanied by () a state
ment Of the improvements or altera-
tions erected and their cost. where the
lures, or by <2) a statement showing
particulars Of the increased amount
charged. where the increase OF rent II
on account Of such increase in rates.
s"The landlord or lessor and lessee
NAV make contracts or leases for daily,
weekly, monthly or yearly rental of
| real estate SO as to net the landlord
or lessor not exceeding per centum
for the use or occupancy thereof on
the actual value Of the property as
fixed by its assessment for taxation;
this net shall be one and one-half times
| its assessment.
| "Any real estate may be reappraised
for rental purposes by the rent admin
\ istrator on the application Of tho owner
and the value thus fixed shall there
( . fter be the valuation upon which rent
shall be levied and paid. and upon which