Evening star., 1920-07-09
ASKS RENT BOARD
TO ADJUST RATES
interior Department Thinks
81 Too Low and $40 Too
High for Some Houses.

The District rent commission was
called in by the Department of the In
terror today to settle rental disputes
between the department and twenty
three tenants who occupy houses in
the vicinity of New Jersey avenue and
I'd street northwest. comprising q
government reservation.
In seven Of the cases the depart
ment asked that rents be lowered; in
the others 1T asked for increases.
In the petitions filed with the COM
mission 1t was pointed out that the
tenant Is compelled to pay for all
necessary repairs. The commission
was asked to determine a fair rental
for seven dwellings now renting at
81 month and for ten renting at IS
a month. The remainder were cases
in which the department admitted
that the rental charged was too high
and requested that reductions be
made as deemed proper.
Protest Paying for Repairs.
The petitions were signed by Chief
Clerk E. ]. Ayers of the Interior De-
partment, who, it is understood, will
represent the department. Thirteen
of the cases are set for hearing next
Wednesday and ten on the following
day. In a majority Of the cases where
increases were asked the tenants filed
protests. citing expenses incurred by
them for repairs.
The buildings affected were pur-
chased by the government In line with
its parking and public reservation pol
Icy in the District Of Columbia. They
were to have been razed and the
ground leveled, as was done with the
stretch of land between the Union
station and the Capitol. Work was
postponed. however. when the war
cfo IT nd
were rented with view to relieving
the housing congestion in Washington.
Many Of the houses were too run
down to attract even the most naro-
pressed families, but dozens OF others
were taken over for occupancy by war
workers and others. The government.
through the Interior Department.
rented these premises at a minimum
monthly rate. with the express provl-
sion that all alterations and repairs
must be borne by tenants.
Rents Considered Too Low.
During the war rentals of 81 and
SIS q month were considered appropri-
ate, especially when it was known
that families might be forced to sleep
in the open but for this assistance.
Since the advent Of peace and the re-
turn to nearly normal conditions the
low rentals are considered 1nsufn-
cient.
commission, were asked in the fol-
lowing cases to be heard Wednesday:
Mrs. A. c. Cutshall. 232 New Jersey
avenue northwest, present rental, $5:
Mrs. N j. Ayres. 22S New Jersey ave-
nue. northwest, present rental, III;
Mrs. E. B. Myers. 230 New Jersey ave-
nue., present rental, IS; Mrs. Effie M.
Davis, 234 New Jersey avenue. pres
ent rental, 81; Mrs. D. F. Boswell. 23S
New Jersey avenue. IS; Miss Ida Mar
shall, 27 b street, SIS; Miss L. keyser.
29 B street. IS; Mrs. J. NJ. Barker. 80
b street, SIS; Mrs. D. F. Boswell. 40 c
street, 81; Mrs. Pauline Proctor. "A c
street. 81.
Requests for reductions to be made
Wednesday by the department are as
Mrs. M. H. King. 21o New Jersey
avenue. present rental. $35; Mrs. Brid-
present rental, $40, and Earl X: Jor-
dan, 46 C street. present rental, $40.
Requests for Increases.
REQUESTS for increases to be heard
Thursday are: Mrs. H. L. Minton. 214
Mrs. s. E. Pinkerton, 216 New Jersey
avenue. IS: Mrs. r. D: Wetmore. 21s
New Jersey avenue. 81: Mrs. Loretta
Smith, 22O New Jersey avenue. 81:
Mrs. Mary D. Thornton, 222 New Jer-
sey avenue, 81: J. NJ. Williams. 224
New Jersey avenue. So. and Mrs. M.
]. McAndrews. 226 New Jersey avenue.
present rental, IS.
Reductions will be asked as fol-
lows: Mrs. Mae r. Magee. 48 c street
northwest. present rental. $40: Mrs.
E. L. Lawhorn, so c street, present
rental, $40; Howard E. Wackerm an,
235 Arthur place. present rental. $2b.