The Washington times., 1922-04-24
H|GHRENTSARE
ADVOCATED BY
HOUSING BOARD
Claims Pre-War Basis for
Tenants Undesirable in
Washington.


Washington.
A campaign to keep rents in the
District of Columbia at high level
and to provide protection for land
hogs, rent hogs and profiteers has
started in the citizens committee
named by Commissioner Cuno Ru-
dolph TO investigate the housing
situation here.
Brigham Is Author.
Vigorous defense Of profiteers is
made in a statement issued from
the headquarters of the housing
committee. Mrs. Ell A. Helmick.
chairman Of the general commit
tee, explained that 'it was prepared
by a member OF the committee and
tells what the committee has ac-
complished TO date"
Although the statement was given
out from headquarters OF the COM
mittee and bore no signature, IL
was learned that the author was
Harry r. Brigham, of Boston, rep
resentative of the National Real
Estate Board.
Brigham's appointment TO MEM
bership on the committee was criti-
Cised by several members on the
ground that he would be prejudiced.
Brigham attended the meetings
OF the committee, but took no &C
tive part. The statement made
public today is the first move he
has made.
Not every one seems to remem-
Der that before the war there were
said to be four thousand vacant
places OF abode in the city OF Wash
ington." says the Brigham state
ment. This naturally meant un-
usually low rentals as well as an
unhealthy business condition and
II is a mistake to wish for the re-
turn Of such conditions or the es-
tablishment OF rentals on the basis
OF such conditions"
Discourages Owners.
The statement says further: 1t
also does not encourage property
, owners to build to rent or to con-
tinue to rent property 20 continually
abuse and condemn them as a class.
IF we as a committee wish to
have more houses put on the market
to rent, we must Qui: talking about
land hogs and 'disloyalty.'
Attacks on land hogs" are un.
| founded, says the Brigham state
ment, which continues:
II believe that the fact shown last
week that residential construction is
proceeding as fast rs possible in
| Washington proves conclusively that
the attacks made on land ncgs were
unfounded, and that the relier sought
is not to be found either by levying
extortionate taxes on unimpruved
land or by giving subsidies in. the
form of tax exemption on new con.
| struCtion.
The builders who are building
now are getting land at prices which
they are willing to pay and are pre-
sumably making profits on their
sales. Therefore. IL you grant them
tax exemptions, 70 will simply in
crease their profits.
They also will continue to build
to sell rather than to rent, until IL is
again possible to be assured a fair
rental and the control Of ones prop
erty."
Defends Land Owners.
The man who holds vacant land
until he can sell II at profit is no
more disloyal than a man who burs
shares of stocksnot paying dividends
and holds IT until 1t does, MIR. Erig-
ham contends.
Il also have yet to be shown any
large city where there has tcen any
large unfair combination Of real Is.
tate owners to maintain prices" he
says.
The remedy of the housing situa-
tion here" he says, does not lie
in the further destruction of the
| rights OF property or unequal taxa
ton, but, so long/as the Ball act
continues in force, II lies in so
regulating rents as to gain the con-
fidence of property owners as we'll
as tenants and to encourage prop
erty owners to build to rent rather
than to discourage them"
Since the provision affecting bust
ness properties has been stricken
out of the proposed extension of the
Ball act, Mr.. Brigham suggests
that "a committee of expert real
tors might be forced to determine
fair rentals on business properties.
This has been worked successfully
elsewhere, he says.
Mr.. Brigham is "prejudiced"
against the Rent Commission
Through it's failure to publish re-
ports showing its methods, prac-
tices and policies in detail, but I
know that IL It wishes more houses
built for rental purposes It must
gain the confidence of property own.
ere and Investors" "