Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-31
LANDLORDS ARE: HIT
HARD IN RENT BILL
PASSED BY SENATE
Ball Measure Passes Upper
House Without FormaIity
of a Roll Call.
MAKES SEIZURE OF HOME
DIFFICULT FOR OWNER
Cites Right of Rent Board to De-
termine Just Amount Tenants
Should Pay.

The Ball bill amending the code of
| law for the District of Columbia so
as to provide a new method of obtain
ing possession of rented property. was
passed by the Senate today without
debate and without a roll call.
The bill. which came up on the cal
endar, is designed to make it more
difficult for landlords in the District
to oust tenants who at this time re-
fuse to pay increased rent.
Hardly had the bill been passed by
the Senate when Senator Poindexter
Of Washington, who has opposed the
/ measure, entered a motion to recon-
slider the vote py which the bill was
passed. This motion may be called up
at any time.
The text of the Ball bill as amended
by the Senate and passed is as fol-
lows:
That section twenty of an act to
establish a code of law for the Dis
.triet of Columbia, approved March B.
1901. and the acts amendatory thereof
and supplementary thereto. in relation
to forcible entry and detaine-, be
amended SO that the same shall read
as follows:
Five Days to Pay Rent.
''' -(a) Whenever any person has
forcibly entered upon the prior actual
possession of real property of another
and obtains the same; or
(b) Whenever any person with
out force unlawfully enters upon the
real property. of another and unlaw-
fully and forcibly obtains the same.
"' (c) Whenever any tenant in per-
son or by subtenants holds over after
the termination of his lease or ex
piration of his term or fails to pay
his rent for five days after the same
shall be due; or
"'(d Whenever any mortgagor or
grantor in a mortgage or deed of trust
to secure a debt or any person claim
ing under such mortgagor or grantor
subsequent to the date Of such mort
gage or deed of trust shall unlawful
ly detain possession of the real prop
erty conveyed after sale thereof un-
der such deed of trust or a fore
closure of the mortgage: or
"'(e) Whenever judgment debtor
or any person claiming under him
since the date of judgment shall so
unlawfully detain possession of real
property after a sale thereof under
execution issued on such judgment. it
shall be lawful for the Municipal
Court on complaint in writing under
oath by the person aggrieved by said
unlawful detention. or by his agent
or attorney having knowledge of the
fact. to issue a summons to the party
complained of to appear and show
cause why judgment Should not be
given against him for restitution of
the possession of such real property.
May Seize for Own Use.
"Provided. that in all cases arising
under subdivision Co, Cd and (E).
five days notice to quit, exclusive of
Sundays and holidays. must h. given
to the tenants. Subtenant or party in
possession before proceedings to the
Municipal Court can be Instituted, such
notice to be served in the same man.
ner as provided for the services of
notices by section 1928 of said code of
law for the District Of Columba Pro-
vided, further that in any case of
failure to pay rent after due as pro-
vided in subdivision Co the notice TO
quit shall be in the alternative and re-
quire the payment of rent or the sur
render of the real property detained
within five days after the service of
such notice. And in the event of the
payment of tenure of the amount due
as rent within such period of five days.
no action for possession shall be MAIN
tanned"
Section 2 THE remedy provided
for herein shall not be available to
any landlord as against a tenant who
regularly pays or tenders rent at the
rate at which he is occupying. and
who offers to pay thereafter the diff
ference between the amount thereof
and any sum which the rent commits
sion. appointed under the act of Con-
gress. approved October %. 1919, shall
find to be just and reasonable rental
of the premises; provided the rights
of the tenants, under this title, shall
be subject to the limitations that the
bona fide owner of any rental prop
erty. apartment or hotel shah have
the right to possession thereof for
actual and bona fide occupancy by
himself. or his wife. children or de-
pendeuts, or for the purpose of tear
ing down or razing the same in order
Immediately to construct new rental
property, hotel or apartment"