New-York tribune., 1920-04-01
Measures to Curb Prof.
teering Adopted in Both
Houses of Legislature
With Little Opposition
Plan to Exempt
Mortgages Beaten
Legislation Applies to
New York, Rochester,
Buffalo andW estchester
Prom a stor Correspondent

AA6AN MdICIl O4s"EIlcNCII VI
the twelve rent bills drafted by the
special legislative housing commit
tee to stop profiteering by New York
landlords and real estate sharks will
be laws in effect tomorrow They
passed the Senate this afternoon
and the Assembly tonight, and 1m-
mediately were signed by Governor
Smith.
Legislative leaders had planned
to have them in operation on April
to meet further monthly increases
any landlords may have in mind. In
order to pass the bills before mid
right in the Assembly, Speaker
Sweet halted the debate on the So
ciaIsts about 10 o'clock. No objec-
ton was made and the bills were put
through quickly.
Governor Smith sent an emergency
essage with each bill. urging its pas
re The bill not acted on was that
"a -hcourage investment in real estate
exempting from the state income
me incomes from mortgages up to
. CO.. Opposition has developed in
s9.a houses.
Three Important Provisions
he rent bills have three important
provisions for protecting tenants from
erohteering. They are:
Taxing away from the landlord the
fi2ht OF summary proceeding for the
-payment of rent unless the rent
IS 80 greater than the amount paid
Tor the preceding month or has not
been increased more than 25 per cent
within one year.
Providing that where a final order
has been granted in holdover pro-
ceeding the court may grant a stay
not to exceed six months where it
appears tenant cannot obtain suit
able premises for himself and family.
The tenant, however, must deposit
with the court what is determined to
be fair rent.
Permitting tenant in an action Of
law for recovery of rent to set up the
defense that the rent is unjust.
These bills are designed to provide
immediate relief for the serious situa-
y
New YORK. Because of what legislators
term the teeth in them, they have been
bitterly fought by landlords and real
estate interests as unconstitutional.
Justice Spiegelberg, chairman of the
Municipal Court Housing Committee of
New York, in recent defense of the
Oils. declared that there was no doubt
Of their constitutiopality. He declared
that the power Of summary proceedings
MT
placed In the statutes Of the state more
than 100 years ago. He said that what
the Legislature had granted in statu-
tory law 1t can take away wholly or in
part
Little Opposition to Bills
The bills met with little opposition
IN the Senate. Senator'S Burlingame, of
brooklyn. and Abeles, of the Bronx,
were the only dissenting factors. Sena-
tor Burlingame said the bills would
rot remedy the situation. He thinks
the only reason they were allowed to
pass in their present form Is because
o. the approach Of Election Day. He
SAD that solution Of the housing
problem could not be reached by har-
ssslhg landlord, or by telling them
"o~ mucn rent .ney must charge.
You might as we'll pass a law" he
itself to be conscripted for building
SorH under penalty that they shall
oo'ain no other work" Senator Abeles
oHefed an amendment reducing to 10
per cent the maximum of % per cent
landlord might charge over the pre-
Fious year. Majority Leader Walters
said that such an amendment would
sr'uaiiy kil the bill, in tha, it would
GUY 70 100 fine margin the increased
1en' landlord was entitled 70, be-
cause Of the increase in labor and
aaaih'enance The amendment was
speaking Of the constitutionality of
tae bills. Senator Walters called at-
ssn''on 70 the police power written into
s.s oiiis, showing that an emergency
's@ "hicn makes it essential that the
a s'e DC given authority to limit rents.
al" said 1nIs - the first time the Leg
has, ,hais.urs placed laws on the statute
nooks defining le4islatiue infant