The Washington times., 1921-02-06
RENTO|SPUTES
SHOWB|G GAIN
Although Power of Board Is
Questioned, Tenants Seek
Office As Refuge.

The District Rent Commission is
just completing the first year OF It's
existence, and while the housing
crisis in Washington is generally re-
garded as being over, nevertheless
there has been an increase rather
than q decrease in the number OF
rental complaints filed with the COM
mission.
MANY NEW COMPLAINTS
During the past week there were
seventeen complaints fled In one DAY
which is almost a record number For
the past several months the commits
sion has received an average or ten
complaints a day.
The commission opened temporary
onfioes In the business establishment
OF James II. Oyster. chairman or the
Rent Board, at 300 Pennsylvania ave-
nue. northwest, January 20, 1870, Sew
eral weeks elapsed until the commits
sion formulated its policies and moved
into its present permanent quarters
In the Hooe Building in f street,
where the first hearing was held on
February 1S.
TENANTS ARE FAVORED.
During this nrst year 2,6S3 com
plants were filed with the commits
sion. the majority of them being for
the adjustment of a fair rental value.
The greater number Of these cases
were decided in favor of the tenant,
the commission ordering In many In
stances reductions OF more than 100
per cent in rental. In possession is
sues the commission has leaned to-
ward the tenant. thus preventing
hundreds of evictions of tenants.
Under the Ball act, by which the
commission was created. possession
Of property IL to be granted for but
two reasons. One of these is IL the
owner desires 1t for his own occu-
pancy, and the other Is for the pur-
pose of tearing down and erecting
new building. According to the de-
Examinations of the commission land
lords were unable to satisfactorily
prove either Of these two reasons.
Although the status of the commits
sion is involved in a considerable
legal tangle, which will terminate in
arguments before the Supreme Court
of the United States February 70.
tenants apparently have lost on faith In
the power of the commission, judging
from the number which daily seek
aid from exorbitant rents and general
deplorable housing conditions.
INCREASES CONTINUE.
The commission believes that unem-
ployment in this city has been the
cause for bringing many tenants be-
fore the rent board recently. While
such tenants were able to pay certain
rents while their incomes were steady,
1T is believed that with their loss OF
employment they awaken to the fact
that their rents are too high because
they are unable to meet them.
Landlords have not stopped raising
rents in this city, commission figures
show. There are any number Of de-
mands for higher rents. Such cases
have been in the majority before the
commission. Generally the Rent
Board has allowed slight increases.
but not nearly the amount asked for by
the landlord. The commission is ap-
parently hitting the mean between
the present rend paid by the tenant
and the amount demanded by the
landlord.
AWAIT COURT DECISION
The public generally is awaiting
the decision Of the Supreme Court In
the issue which will be placed before
It to determine the constitutionality
of the commission, which Is to be
tested in the now famous Hirsch-
Block case.
1t is generally anticipated that the
rent-fxing power Of the commission
will be upheld. in which event hun
dreds Of Washington landlords will
be subjected to thousands OF dollars
in fines Ii they are pressed, and the
Department OF Justice has repeatedly
emphasized that such would be the
case.