New-York tribune., 1920-03-20
Real Estate Men Unite in
Support of Measure Aim
ing to Curb Pr0fiteering
by Landlords for a Year
Housing Scheme Rejected
Estimate Board Blocks $lO,-
100000 Plan; Garden
Tenants Ordered Out

pancy at the current rental, III was
learned yesterday. This bill has been
introduced by Senator Black and covers
all tenancy not held under leases with
specific dates Of expiration.
The bill, it is felt, will protect the
tenants from the month to month in
creases which have been a growing
evil of late and 60 far toward ending
the "scalping" and "wash sales" of
apartment house by which the prof
iteers have kept steady rise in rentals
under way.
Other developments in the housing
situation yesterday were the refusal OF
the Board Of Estimate to adopt reso-
luton by Borough President Curran
looking toward $1o,0oo,oo0 city hous-
ing scheme, preparations in the Dis
trict Attorneys office to prosecute
landlords who have written abusive
letters to their tenants and notices to
the tenants of the Garden Apartments
at Forest Hills, l.. L., who have sued
to test the right of the landlord to-
make alleged excessive rent increases,
that they must vacate on September 1.
Prepare for Hearing
The Real Estate Board is busily at
work on its plans for the hearing on
rent bills in Albany on March 23, when
it will oppose the advocates of state
commission bill and measures fixing
percentage basis for rents. They will
support the bill to exempt mortgages
from taxation.
1--WE are anxious for two things in
legislation" said Robert E. Bowling,
president of the City Investment Com
legislation of the Real Estate Board,
yesterday. Eve want measures which
will give immediate protection to rent
ers and those which will induce in
vestme1t in building. 1t is being
charged that realty men want the pres
ent situation to continue, but intelli-
gent property owners know that this
course would react against them in the
long run.
I'm spite of their apparent value, the
bills based on making rentals equal to
percentage of the value of the prop
erty will be useless, because it is so
easy to increase the value artiiicially.
A few men, working as ring can
transfer apartment property among
themselves at fast increasing prices,
and 50 keep the rent income down to a
small percentage on valuation, no mat
ter how inflated it actually may be.
There is one great evil that can be
met. Many of the worst landlords now
are refusing to give leases, SO that on
fictitious sales or for some other ex-
cusc. they can boost the rent month By
month. 1t seems to me that great goot
could be accomplished by stopping this
That would be done by Senator Black.
bin giving present tenants a year:
,~k% >F
unless there is an actual lease.
This would save the tenants, give
them immediate security, check the
scalpers and generally stabilize the sit
Business Needs Money 81 <.
I'm general the realty interests want
more money to come into the business
and the bills removing taxes on mort
cages. would help that. 1t is chiefly
because restrictive legislation woulo
scare money away that such interests
are opposed to state commission ane
percentage basis in rent fixing. The
state commission plan is obviously un
workable. There are no three men wht
could begin to fix rentals for even ,
small part of New" York City's prop
erty. The docket would be over
whelmed instantly"
Borough President Curran's resolu
men yesterday, provided for much tn
same action by the Board of Estimat
as was recommended in resolution
adopted by the Aldermen Tuesday II
asked the listing of all city propert
available for building purposes and tn
commitment of the board to the build
ing program of 100000 if it shoul
be found legal. Comptroller Craig op
posed the plan and it was defeated
The resolution provided:
THAT the Corporation Counsel be re
quested to advise this board, at it's mex
session, whether the city has the powe
to meet the needs of the people b
constructing apartments upon cit
owned land and renting the same q
rentals to yield such percentage q
the cost as will make the entire enter
prise and obligation self-supportn
and provide for the amortization 9
the securities issues for the purpos,
and further,
"That the Comptroller be requeste
to submit to this board at it's next ses
sion schedule Of property owned
the city and suitable for the construs
ton of houses to meet the preser
shortage, to the end that this board,
empowered so to do, may make a de
cisive attempt to meet the housin
emergency by definite appropriate
Of S10,000,00O for construction an
maintenance Of dwelling places an
apartments"
Tenants Ordered Out
Theodore l.. Waugh, Assistant Di
trict Attorney, announced yesterday
the suggestion of Magistrate Charl.
N. Harris, that next week he would Ia
an information alleging coercie
against landlords who have write
abusive and coercive letters to the
tenants. He believes that some of the
can be prosecuted and that the pr
ceedings will lay the basis for the el
actment OF protective legislation.
another move was made in the ca.
OF the Garden Apartments. whose te,
ants are suing in equity to have IL
courts determine whether the increase
running to 200 per cent, which ha,
been demanded are excessive, wht
Guyon L. c. Earle sent notices to fort
three OF them that they must vacate ,
september l. In reply the tenan
issued statement which said, in par
1T is interesting to note that Ian
lord Earle only day or two before =
began our legal fight against his re-
increases manifested perfect willin
ness to renew the leases of his tenan
who would stand for the increases tn
boosted some apartments from sos
S225 . month. Now he sends us mott
we are no longer desirable tenan
May we assure the public that we q
in this fight to finish ?"
Another suggestion contributing to
ard tho Mavors, hu1fdiy4c, chn y,,n 40,