New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-16
Bill Multiplying
New Rent Laws
Given Senate
Burlingame Introduce s
Measure Which E. p.
Doyle, of Real Estate
Board, Adr1-;:s Drawing
Lockwood Scores Scheme
Landlords Want Stays of
Year VOided and Is %
Raise Ban Abolished
From a StoG Corrcspondent

u
E'rnm Staff Correspondent
ABB NY, April 15.ADeclarine that
the eleven anti-rcnt gouging bills re-.
GENTLY enacted into law are unfair to
landlords, Senator Alvah Burlingame,
of Brooklyn, introduced bill to-day
nullifying the provisions. in the new
laws.
While Senator Burlingame refused to
say who gave him the bill, asserting he
never divulged the sources of his meas
ures, Edward P. Doyle, of the Real Es-
tate Board, admitted frankly that it
was he who gave the bill to Burlingame.
Senator Charles c. Lockwood, also of
Brooklyn, and chairman Of the Joint
Legislative Committee on Housing. who
drafted the laws, declared that the Bur-
lingame bill. if it becomes law, would
defeat the purposes of the recently en-
acted legislation.
Will Make Many Homeless
"rhe Buringamc bill would deprive
tens OF thousands Of tenants in the
City of New York of the protection
now accorded them by the courts
against the exactions of profiteering
not only enable the rent sharks to con-
tinuedheir gouging, but would render
manyrthousands homeless on October l
or sooner"
The Burlingame bill reads:
"No provision of chapters 1856, 1877
and 1879, laws of 1920, shall apply to
any of the following cases:
81. To a building or premises within
a building constructed or substantially
<4I So e,,h
sequent to April 1. 1920.
~"2. To real property which in good
faith has been or shall be sold, or
under contract of sale to tenants or
others upon a cooperative basis for
their occupancy.
SO. To real property required in good
faith for immediate and substantial
reconstruction or complete. rebuilding
for dwelling purposes, and plans fo1
which have been filed with and ap-
proved by the Superintendent of Build
ings or Department of Buildings hav-
ing jurisdiction.
Termination of Leases
"a. Where at least four months prior
to the termination of lease for the
occupation of real property for a term
of one year or more the landlord or his
authorized agents shall have served
upon the tenant a notice in writing
setting forth that the tenants lease will
not be renewed except at an increased
rent. specified in the notice, and the
tenant shall have failed within thirty
days after the service of such notice,
or within thirty days after this act
landlord or his authorized agent a
written answer thereto, agreeing or de-
Ginning to renew said lease at the in
creased rent required.
IS The provision of Section of
Chapter 1873. Laws of 1920 declaring
rent increases in excess of 25 per cent
in one year presumptively unjust, I'M
reasonable and oppressive, or Sub
division "a of the Code of Civil
ter 1879, Laws of 1920, which
provides that no action against ten
ant can be maintained unless it is
proved that rent has not been increased
in excess of % per cent in the year
preceding the action, shall not apply to
an agreement for the releasing of prem
Uses as to which a proper lease for a
term of two years, or more, shall ex-
pire on or before October l, 1920, and
the fact that the increase of rent I'M
der such new agreement, either to the
same tenant or another tenant, is more
than % per cent over the rent as it
existed one year prior to the agree
ment, or has been increased more than
% per cent over the rent as it existed
one year prior to the present action of
the petition in summary proceedings,
shall not of itself create presumption
that such agreement is unjust, un-
reasonable and oppressive, nor pre-
clude the landlord from maintaining a
summary proceeding to recover the
possession of such real property by
reason of the non-payment of rent"
Provisions Nullified
The Burlingamc bill thus would
nuliify the following drastic provis-
ions in the anti-renting profteerine
laws.
1. Permitting tenants to set up as
defense in summary proceedings anC
in suits for rent where the rent has
been increased twenty-five per cent OF
more. over the preceding year, thai
such increase is unjust, unreasonable
and oppressive"
stays not to exceed a year to hold
over tenants who prove to the court.
that they have been unable to fine
similar quarters and similar rates il
the same neighborhood.
Senator Lockwood said:
'It is bad biz and should fall
Senator Burlingame replied:
II introduced it in good faith to i'm
prove the housing situation"
Where did the bill originate? ?" h,
was asked.
Il never tell where bills come from
But it is good bill and will protec
hundreds of landlords who are nov
being Disseminated against by the fal
too drastic laws just enacted"
Nr. Doyle, who gave Burlingame tn,
oiii, said It's purpose was to spur tn,
building of new houses.