The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-09-28
A FAIR DEAL FOR RENTERS.


Rapacious landlords have Jared badly at the
hands of the New York legislature, that BODY
having just passed the housing bills designed
to halt wholesale evictions of tenants on Oc-
tober first help to end profiteering IN rents
stimulate new building construction and break
up any illegal building material combine or
mortgage trust. The Offices of renting agents IN
the metropolis have for weeks been besleged by
people who were in search of apartments and
who were thrown into panic by threats OF evlc-
ton because they would not or could not pay
the advanced rates demanded by landlords; for
thirty families, it is said, an average OF but
five apartments is provided, such is the hous-
ing shortage in face Of the overwhelming de-
mand for accommodations. Many pitiful cases
have been presented and the scenes enacted Ill
the agents offices sometimes bordered closely
'on the tragic. But the state legislature has
come to the relief of the people Of New York
City by enacting most radical rent statute, the
socalled anti-eviction law. The bill as it was
passed places in the hands of the tenants the
most powerful weapon they ever have had in
their fight against the landlords. It not only
prevents evictions this year, but it has pro-
vision under which every landlord in New York
City can be compelled, under court order, to
prove that the rent received by him in recent
years is not extortionate and out of proportion
to his investment at
! The bill allows landlord to dispossess ten
ant who holds over for three reasons only. They
are: That the tenant is Objectionable, that the
owner wishes the premises for occupancy Of
himself and family or that he wishes to rebuild.
! As applied to the October first situation, now
the most serious in New York City, this new
fo1l Il
lord wishes to raise rent on an apartment on
that day and has given notice to that effect.
The tenant believes the rent unreasonable and
refuses to pay. The case then goes to the mu-
nicipal court Pending the proceedings in the
court the tenant deposits with the court an
amount equal to the last months rent he paid
That is held as security while the court goes
into the question whether the landlord is JUST
fed by reason of increased expenses, taxes OF
assessments to raise the rent.
! If the court holds there is justification for the
increase the tenant must pay the difference be-
tween his deposit and the rent fixed, OF
move If the rent is not raised the deposit goes
ito the landlord for payment of month S rent
lin the event the case is appealed and takes moro
than month for final decision the landlord il
protected by provision requiring the tenant t.
make additional deposit with the court for eacl
month the case is prolonged.
This law will do away with the anxiety O
many people in New York who are holding thei
premises under short stays or have been served
with notices to move on October first. The no
tees served on people that they will be required
= to vacate on October first, are now wholly in
effective In holdover proceedings alread.
brought, where stay has been granted, tn
court cannot issue a warrant to put the tenan
out. unless it is for one of the three specif
causes given
: French bonds, backed by a nation in tn