The sun., 1919-05-07
SCARED LANDLORDS
STOP RENT COUGHING
Mayors Committee Lays Sud-
den Conversion to Fear of
Notoriety.
SMITH PROMISES RELIEF
No New Laws Needed to End
Housing Problems, Acute
Over State, He Says.

Since the Joint Centenary Committee
OF the Methodist Episcopal Church placed
Methodist church buildings at tho dis
posal Of the Mayors COMMITTEES on Rent
Profteerins as temporary homes for
evicted families there has been a de-
cided change In the attitude OF many
landlords who originally started out on
rent gougtng campaigns. According to
members OF the committee these land
iords experienced a change Of heart and
agreed to permit complaining tenants to
remain with comparative email rent in
creases. or on the old rent basis. There
are number of these Conversions on
record In the committees files.
1t was said yesterday at tho COM
mittee's headquarters In the Municipal
Building the Conversions may be due
to two reasons: fear of unpleasant no.
toriety in case evicted families were
driven into the churches for shelter, or
an honest to goodness feeling of SYM
pathy for hard pressed people.
The Municipal Court Justices, before
whom landlord and tenant cases are
tried. will confer at I o'clock this after
noon on plans for uniformity of action
In dealing with summary proceedings
Nathan Hirsch. chairman OF the Mayors
committee. will meet with the Justices.
He will turn over TO them information
concerning the rent profiteering evil OBJ
tained by the committee.
House Problems Investisated.
Gov. Smith issued yesterday a state
ment In which he said new laws are not
necessary for the solution OF some re-
construction problems and II is believed
ha hnh hA
In mind.
I'm my message creating the Recon-
struction Commission" the Governor
said. II requested that body to make a
special study OF the housing problems
OF the State. I asked them to make
every endeavor to secure the fullest in
formation. and after carefully studying
1t to make recommendations, looking to
the permanent welfare of the State.
They advise me that their studies
made thus far indicate that the increas-
Ing Of rents and the shortage Of housing
are more than a local issue. Their in
quiries. which are not limited to New
York city. but are already covering the
State, show that they will be statewide.
Many people have the mistaken idea
that all reconstruction problems pressing
for solution need an immediate change
In our laws. As much can be done to
solve some Of these difficulties without
new laws as with them. II we can bring
about spirit Of cooperation.
II am informed that the Reconstruct
tion Commission has a plan for meeting
the immediate housing situation that will
AFFORD an opportunity to the people, who
are able to take advantage Of such priy.-
leges to cooperate with the State in solv-
Ing the real crisis, which I am advised
exists. The commission Is considering
measures Of practical and immediat re-
lief. and II Is essential that these meas
ures be such as to result eventually In
sufficient and better housing at moder-
ate rental costs"
Construction Plans Under Way,
The Reconstruction Commission is ex-
pected to make Its plan public in a few
days. 1t Is known that II provides for
the construction OF apartment houses by
a group Of men willing to invest capital
In an enterprise that promises many new
homes for New Workers before next
winter.
Adam E. Fischer, an architect Of 373
Fulton street. Brooklyn. has suggested
to the Mayors committee that the tere-
ment house law be amended 80 as to
permit the conversion for a limited De-
Rod or years of three story store and
family buildings into tenements wher
the stores are vacant. Mr.. Fischer said
the buildings could be made over within
rev weeks at a nominal cost and used
by the lower class OF rent payers