New-York tribune., 1922-04-15
Full Housing
Plan Is Made
Law by Miller

ton is brought shall be presumed to be
the actual value.
Another important amendment pro-
vides that landlords cannot set up as
defense that the tenant has paid
three months rent where the rent payer
alleges that the rent is unjust and un-
reasonable, unless the three months
rent was paid in three successive
monthly instalments. This is to Offset
the device of landlords who forced
tenants TO pay three months rent in
advance.
This last provision is retroactive and
affects thousands of leases which were
made since April 30, 1921. as it applies
to all such leases, whether oral or in
writing.
Two other important amendments
are aimed at landlords who seek to
bring tenants to terms by harassine
them. One new clause provides that in
an action for increased rent if the
landlord is not granted an increase bv
the court the tenant shall be paid the
costs of the action, The other pro-
vides that if the landlord brings an
action for q recovery Of rent in the
wrong district the action shall be dis
missed and the tenant awarded costs.
Provides Thirty-Day Notice
Another section provides that a ton
ant shal II be given al least thirty days
notice in writing Of an increase in
rent.
The existing law relating TO the de-
post o. rent with the court in land
lord and tenant cases and the payment
thereof to the landlord are clarified.
The amendment to the tax exemption
act which was signed more than two
weeks ago, extends the act so that all
now buildings for dwelling purposes in
such municipalities as have local tax
exemption ordinances which are COM
menced before April 1, 1928, and com
pleted within two years thereafter
shall be tax exempt while they remain
! legalizes, validates and confirms all tax
exemption ordinances of local legisla
tive bodies. Construction shall be
deemed commenced when the plans
have been duly fled and excavation
actually and in good faith begun"
Tie tax exemption applies only to
the building and ceases January /, 1928
,! In New York City alone more than
$300,000,000 Of new home construction
was completed or under way from the
passage of the local tax exemption or
dinance in February of last year to the
end of the year.
The housing legislation may be
grouped under four classiications. The
first, checks evictions and so far as
possible prevents unjust and unreason-
able increases in rent The second, the
tax exemption laws, were enacted to
stimulate construction of new build
ings. The third group aims at opening
up new avenues of capital. Included
in this are the insurance enabling bill
and housing bills Of previous years
allowing savings banks to make new
building loans and aiding the building
! and loan associations in their work.
The fourth group includes amendments
to the insurance law and tends to
lessen the cost of construction by low
ering premiums and thus keeps rents
down. This group also stimulates
building.
Lockwood Comments on Bill
Senator LOCKWOOD chairman of the
Housing Committee, in commenting on
the S9-a-room bill, said:
"The Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company, with assets of more than
81 400 100000, has agreed to start
construction at once. Its officers realize
that housing affecting the lives of the
people affect it, for it insures these
lives. We hope other companies sim
ilarly affected will help"
Senator LOCKWOOD Sald that the COM
mittee did not delude itself with the
false belief that legislation would
solve the housing problem.
"The answer to the housing prob
lem," said Senator Lockwood, "is more
houses, and the question is largely one
of money, materials and men. The
men must be skilled and free from i'm
/ proper and illegal restrictions and ad-
| eduately compensated.
Federal taxes, causing the with
drawal of millions of dollars from the
mortgage market, which have been
placed in tax-exempt securities, have
worked untold hardships. Until the
Legislature enacts new laws, such as
were killed in the last session, the
home building public must look to the
savings banks for new mortgage
money"
Referring to some of the legislation