New-York tribune., 1921-10-16
9me Into the Country teres Attractive House Design
Albany Preuented Solution
Of Housing Shortage
Maurice J. Moore Says Interference of Legislature
Has Prolonged Trouble; Rent Laws Establish
Serious Precedent, in His Opinion

Maurce 7. Moore. counsel to the
Brooklyn Real Estate Board, firmly be-
Nsyes that the housing situaton would
he thing Of history to-day il legis-
l&.ive interference had not lifted it out
Of the province of an economic prob
sni of demand and supply. Mr.. Moore
said that me suffering of rent payers
would have been much shorter. Rents
would have swung high. but they would
not have remained there, for the
reason that builders would have been
induced by the rents to build.
In an address before the realty con-
vention recently at Syracuse, Mr..
Moore said:
"The situation has brought about one
sslutary effect. large number of
non-property owners have become
aware of the fact that costs of gov
Instey. They have also become aware
of the fsct that cXtravaganceS and
waste in government are largely borne
by them The tenant has awakened 20
4 keen realization that it is for his
financial welfare that he take an active
interest IN how governmental agencies
spend his money
Have Established Precedent
The rent laws have had some con-
.souences that all must admit give us
food Tor very serious thought
The Supreme Court Of the United
United States has held that they gre
Constitutional. and, as was said in the
dissenting opinion. the court thereby
established the precedent that legis-
laturss may interfere with private con-
tracts. interfere With private property,
and under the cuise of exercising the
police power, by the simple eNpedient
u declaring an emergency TO exist, Of
which 1t i the Judge. may pass any
scheme i sees ft 20 regulate private
property or private business.
The Court has practically decided
that there can no longer be judicial
Judgment OF legislative action. The
power that the Legislature has once
exerted : can exert again. Whatever
may be the necessity for the rent laws.
4 most dangerous precedent has been
established by the Leg stature and up
held by the highest court in the land
7 IS because OF this right of the Legis-
lature TO interfere and impose restric-
lions in the future that real estate
VltAc -ttio anu It's lttAi'Stt4- nav peS'i
held back since the enactment OF these
laws.
Discouraged Building
"The rent laws did lot to dircour-
ago TIC revival Of building, with the
ls0dicsDs Of nigh costs Of material and
sbor and difficult Il not impossible
anarc M. the building OF dwelling
louses had sunk to low mark. Then
camo the rent laws. which took the
control out of the hands of the own
- aui piaced t III the hands OF courts
and juTies. This additional handicap
vas to- much tor the Industry and TO-
iay sf'er two years OF the rert laws
.aere Is continued shortage OF resi-
deuce property.
The TAX exemption law was passed
md under an ordinance IN New York
city limited ten-year tax exemption
; giver TO buildings on which CON
itr1ction IS commenced before April
30, 1922 Under ,ais stimulus we have
rad z large nun be- of one and two
family houses and a number Of store
and oHe-famiiy buildings, but all gross
= inadequate for the needs There is
Nowhere near Sufficient multiple fam
i houses, which are absolutely nee
sssary. i we are ever TO have ade-
9uate housing facilities.
Ine housing problem can only be
io.Ved b. l0v costs OF building and a
7eer how Of mortgage money, which
a the lorE run viii eventually result
n su'fcient dwelling properties"