Evening star., 1922-01-27
RENT ACT REPORT
Of 0FCOMM|SS|0NERS
URGES I CHANGES
Would Limit Laws Extension
to Year and Half and
Give Equal Voice.
BARS APPEAL ON RENT
AFTER LEASE is SIGNED
Removes Ban on Substitution Of
Business for Residential Build
ings-Provides Inspectors.

ings-Provides Inspectors.
Seven changes should be made in
the Ball rent law before it is ex-
tended, the District Commissioners
told Congress today in a report sent
to Senator Ball, chairman of the
District committee.
The resolution now before Con-
sress provides for an extension of the
rent law for two years from next
May. The Commissioners recon-
mend that it be extended eighteen
months, or until October, 1928. Here
are the amendments which the city
heads believe should be made:
II. The rent commission should
consist of a representative of the
property owners. a representative OF
the renting class and of one who
should be neither the owner of prop
erty for renting purposes nor
renter.
"2 The attorney of the commission
should represent the public as a
whole, and not merely the renting
class.
Should Have Inspectors.
"3. The rent commission should
have an inspection force sufficient to
view the property involved in any
case before it, as it seems impracti-
cable that the commission itself
should Xdo this work.
~. The law should be so amended
as to make it practicable and mex
pensive for a bona fide purchaser of
property for dwelling purposes to
get possession of said property with
out delay. To avoid the possibility
of miSchance, the law should provide
that in such cases the apparent pur-
chaser will, in good faith. occupy the
property, and machinery should be
provided to verify this fact.
IS. There should be a provision to
enable the owner of property to get
rid of objectionable tenants or of
-jectionable way.
So There should be provision to
prevent a tenant who has signed a
lease from appealing to the commits
sion to break the terms of the lease
relating to the amount of the agreed
rent.
.7. Section 1o9 of the law prohibits
the tearing down or razing of any
rental property used for residential
purposes. unless new rental property
for residential purposes is construct
ed. The Commissioners believe that
this provision is detrimental to the
proper development of the District
and that it should be stricken from
the act"
Would Protect Both Sides.
The Commissioners tell Congress
that there are two sides to the rent
question in Washington and in their
sest ways of protecting the rights of
both the tenant and landlord. Dis
cussing the law in general, the report
reads:
1.-THE Commissioners of the District
of Columbia realize the Importance
of the bill under consideration and
held public hearing on January Is,
to which all persons interested were
invited. This hearing was well at
tended and the sentiment was large
1y in favor of the extension of the
rent act. as provided for by this bill
1T is true that those appearing at
the hearing were principally tenants
and that property owners were in the
minority. 1t is natural, of course,
that those paying rent should favor
any legislation to protect them from
paying increased rent. That there
are two sides to the question, how
ever. there is no doubt, and the Com
missioners feel that in making "A re-
port on this measure they should
consider the ends of justice and the
rights of all.
IF justice can be done to all con-
cerned under the provisions of the
rent law, there is no doubt that they
should be extended for a time. The
law is, however, unusual and in it's
Interpretation and operation it .ap-
pears that some injustice may have
been done.
Handicapped in Working.
THE rent law is administered by
= commission with power to ascer-
tain the facts in any cases through
court process, and there Is no doubt
this commission has attempted to act
equally. 1t might perhaps be stated,
however, that with the large number
of cases it was compelled TO handle
and the lack Of an adequate force Of
investigators, pot all of the facts
could be ascertained. Until a recent
date it was not provided with an at
torney, so that it was compelled to
act as prosecutor as well as judge.
ITO relieve the rent situation where
the demand for homes Is in excess of
the supply it Is necessary either to
reduce the demand or increase the
supply. 1t is not believed that the
ucHtduu CdH UC SCEy IudlcEldIly re-.
duced. In fact. with reasonably ac-
tive business conditions, it Is likely
that the demand will grow in a
healthy way. AS to the increase in
supply, it seems we'll established that
as long as the rent act remains 1t
will diminish the incentive to capital
adequately to meet the situation. To
extend the provisions of this act will
therefore merely postpone the time
when the present stringency will be
corrected
Undoubtedly, If the act is not ex-
tended for a comparatively short
time, unwise and INSCRIPTIONS prop
erty owners will seek to take advan-
tage and will demand exorbitant
rents. This very tendency will serve
as an inducement to engage in the
profitable business of erecting prop
erty for renting. Without being able
10 predict just when a condition of
stability will be reached, probably
the period will be short and then
there will once more be, as there has
been, a larger supply of renting prop
erty than the demand, and then rents
will tend to decline.
THE Commissioners feel that 1t is
inadvisable to extend the provisions
of the Ball rent act for a period Of
two years. They do feel, however,
that an extension of about one and
one-half years-that is, until October
]. 1923-may be advisable in order
that the effect of the law under the