Evening star., 1921-05-25
BALL RENT ACT
EXTENSION NEEDED,
OYSTER DECLARES
Insists Housing Emergency
Exists in D. c. Which
Demands Action.
COMMISSIONER BEFORE
SENATE COMMITTEE
Government Employees Cannot
Stand Further Rent In
creases, He States.

A housing emergency exists in
Washington today that fully warrants
an EXTENSION of the Ball rent act. the
senate District committee was in
formed today by District Commits
sioner Oyster, former chairman of the
rent commission and by the present
members of that commission.
The members of the Senate commit
tee made it clear at the opening hear
ing on the proposal to extend the life
of the rent commission beyond next
October. that the evidence must show
the continued existence of an emer-
gency here.
An emergency still exists here IN
the housing situation" said Capt.
oyster. in reply to a question by
Senator Jones Of Washington. In
my opinion you should extend the
rent act unless you want to lose your
government employees or send them
all to the poorhouse. In my opinion
it would be impossible for the govern
ment employees to stand further in
creaseS in rent
Refuse TO Rent Houses.
Capt. oyster charged that many
owners of property and agents are re-
fusinE to rent houses in Washington.
and are holding them 10 sell at eN-
orbitant prices.
The continuance of the rent act in
operation Will not. in the opinion of
Capt oyster. retard building opera
tions in Washington. Capital in the
District. as in other places. is waiting
for lower prices in materials and la
Dor before entering upon extensive
building operations, he said. With
rent commission that deals fairly with
the landlords. as well as with the
tenants. Capt. Oyster said. he did not
believe capital would refuse to con-
struct dwellings here. Capt. Oyster
was particularly critical Of landlords
and agents who have refused to make
needed repairs in apartments and
dwellings which they rent.
Sanitary conditions have been de-
plorable because of lack of repairs
in many Of the rented properties"
said Capt. Oyster. why we haven't
had serious epidemics here on account
of these conditions / don't know.
Flags stubborn Landlords.
But many of the landlords refuse
| to make repairs. ] know of a woman n
who was forced to remain awake all
night. moving her babies from one
room to another. during a heavy rain
to keep them dry. because the land
lord had refused TO make any re-
pairs. Finally she appealed to the
health department and that depart
roof.
"As District Commissioner I intend
to do everything possible to force
landlords to make the necessary re-
pairs to the properties they rent.
through the health department.
want particularly to help the poor
people"
At the conclusion of the hearing to-
day Chairman Ball of the Senate Dis
trict committee announced that hear
Ings would be resumed at 10 o'clock
Tuesday morning. Representatives of
the landlords and of the tenants will
be given an opportunity to be heard
Senator Ball said. but witnesses must ,
bear in mind that the hearings are to
be concluded probably on Tuesday.
Any testimony given must deal with
the question as to- whether a housing
emergency exists or not which would
make necessary continuance of the
rent act.
SCISSOR Richards of the District He
told the committee that he believed
the landlords were entitled to an in
crease in rent of perhaps so per cent
above what was received in 1916. He
said. however. that il all restraint
was lifted next October. he believed a
general increase in rents would start
here in the fall.
The result would be to compel peo-
pie to double up and live in congested
dwellings,. he teStlneQ that. IN MS
opinion. the continuance of the rent
act would not stop building opera
tions in Washington. provided the
owners of capital knew there was to
be a fair rent mmSSion. Mr.. Rich
ards said that he did not think the
existence of the rent commission dur
ing the last two years had retarded
building operations.
Before the war. Mr.. Richards said.
rental property here brought in from
to per cent return on the invest
ment. At present. he said. it is diff
cult to find any apartments here for
rent. Probably the only apartments
obta Unable are those held for cooper
ative sale.
Chairman A. Leftwich Sinclair Of
the rent commission described to the
committee the methods of the COM
mission in reaching a decision as to
what is fair rental. He told the
committee that following the de-
cisions of the District Court of APP
peals holding the rent act unconsti-
tutional the apartment houses and
hotels had refused to furnish the COM
mission information. and for that rea-
son the commission had been unable
to make any general ruling regard
ing rents in apartments and hotels.