Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-28
PLAN TO CURTA|L
MOVING FESTIVAL
IN D. c. TH|SFALL
Residents to Avoid Usual
Rush on October | Because
of Housing Shortage.

| leases on apartments and houses are
due to expire. will not bring with it
| this year the customary scenes of
hustling furniture vans and confused
| piles of household effects on the
| streets. according to local real estate
men and rental agents.
! Indications point to very little NOV
ing this fall, compared with previous
seasons. it is declared. This view is
taken from the fact that tenants
| whose leases expire on October 1 will
be content to remain where they are,
in light of the serious housing short
age and the general high cost of ten
ancy.
Families are said to be unwilling to
| risk the chance of obtaining shelter
| elsewhere when it is considered that
hundreds of others are slated to be
doing the same as they themselves
| are-looking for apartments or
houses. Even with a widespread in
| crease in rentals predicted by agents,
| the tenants are expected to adjust
1 themselves to the plain fact that
! rentals must rise with the increased
cost of labor. building material and
| equipment.
| Another factor which is said to bear
on the situation. tending to reslhce
the amount of moving on one day
this fall, is the uneven duration of
leases, brought about by extensions
| of time granted by the courts or by
| landlords of their own free will. Pos
session disputes are being appealed
| in the local courts almost daily by
the defendants, with the result that
tenants are being allowed to retain
possession of their houses for sew
eral months after the actual expira-
ton of leases. This chaotic condi-
ton is being received by local storage
and transfer firms with favor, as it
tends to equalize the moving indus
/ try by distributing the work over
several weeks or months.
Heretofore van owners were sud-
denly confronted each year on Octo-
Der l with hundreds of families de-
manding transportation of their
household effects to other places of
abode, it is recalled. The demand for
vans far exceeded the supply and
many tenants were compelled to en-
croach on others properties for few
days. awaiting their turn in the "mov-
| ing festival"
"Staggered" Dates Favored.
The advantage of having leases ex-
pire at random throughout the year,
or on two or three fixed days in the
fall and spring, instead of simulta-
neously on one day has been realized
| by moving interests, real estate
agents and the public in other cities
and in Washington, although no for
NAL steps have as yet been taken here
toward this end. In New York city,
however, and in several middle west
ern cities van owners associations
have prevailed upon real estate men
to institute the staggered" dates in
leasing properties, with the result
that considerable relief has been eff
fected.
In response to statement by
Charles S. Morris. president of the
| Van Owners Association of New
York. that October l will witness
100000 families in New York city at
tempting to move, with only 1900
vans available" Chairman A J. w.
Hilly of the mayors rent committee
announced that .it is absolutely neces-
; sary that leases be made to terminate
! on different dates, so that moving be
spread out over the year
Change VIII Take Years.
! The matter has been brought to the
attention of local real estate agents
| from time to time by representatives
| of transfer companies in this city.
Realtors announced that they are in
F., favor of gradually changing the
!
practicability of accompli shing any
noticeable good for several years at
: least.
The impending demand for houses
in New York city is the cause for
much concern. dispatches state. Mayor
Hylan has sent the following letter
to Capt. John P. Leo, chairman of the
board of standard appeals:
/ I'm view of the very urgent demand
that there will be for increased hous-
ling accommodations this fall, and in
view of the fact that there will be
such difficulty as to make it almost
| impossible to complete new multiple
! family structures by October /, is it
not possible and a proper safeguard
and condition to increase the housing
! facilities by the addition of at least
lone story on existing tenementS? ]
wish you would look into this matter
and advise me promptly. first, as to
| the possibility and, second, as to what
steps should be necessary to make