The Washington herald., 1922-05-23
BALL ACT PASSAGE
AVERTS EVICTIONS,
SAYS RENT BOARD
Hundreds of Families Are
Saved, Members
Declare.
SOME RATES HIGHER
Small Landlords, in Anticipa.
tion of Failure, Raised
Their Prices.

Claiming that landlords in the
District had not anticipated passage
Of the new Ball rent law. members
of the Rent Commission expressed
the opinion that hundreds Of fam
lilies had been saved from eviction
by the action of Congress yester-
day.
Relieving that the law was
about to expire, landlords increased
the rents and these cases will be
protested Immediately. members OF
the committee expected.
Mrs. Clara Sears Taylor. the only
woman member of the commission,
said last night:
There is no doubt that hundreds
Of families have been saved evic-
tion from their homes by passage
of the Ball rent act. We have
learned that in numerous cases
tenants have been indicted by their
landslords in an attempt to gain
possession of the homes. These
cases have increased as the time
approached for the Rent Commits
sion to go out Of existence.
Many New Leases signed.
anticipating the expiration OF
the Ball act. in scores Of cases
landlords have forced tenants to
sign new leases at higher rents.
Rather than incur the danger Of
being forced from their homes
tenants have signed the leases"
Most of these are recent cases. IL
is said.
Members of the Rent Commission
stated last night that in the major
fIty Of cases it is the small real
estate dealer who has taken advan-
tge of the situation. The larger
firms are said to have suspended
action in most cases until II was
ecided wethe the Rent Commission
would be continued.
william F. GUIDE. one OF the three
present commissioners, stated that
the last ten days has witnessed
a large number of demands by
landlords that their tenants sign
new leases at higher rtntal "Ap-
parently il was thought by some
that the commission was going by
the board" Mr.. GUIDE said, land with
that in mind they have raised the
rents OF hundreds of tenants"
Hear Cases Separately.
The new act provies that each
Of the fve rent commissioners shall
have authority to hear cases sepa-
rately. Stenographic copies OF the
hearings will be furnished each
member and a decision rendered by
the FIVE.
This will not only facilitate the
work of the commission. but will
place a larger responsibility upon
individual members. hile a decision
will,be rendered by the entire body.
Il is believed that IN most cases
the recommendation of the commits
sioner hearing the case will be ac-
cepted. This arrangement should al
10 wthe commission to keep its
Another new provision OF the act
docket current" Mr.. GUIDE said.
removed from Jurisdiction of the
In the future these will be carried
to the District courts. In case a
landlord demands possession of his
property. he will have to meet the
objections OF his tenant an present
Sufficient reason to the court"
Commissioners do not believe this
will change the ktatus of the pos
session cases to any extent At the
! same time IL was noiuted out a.
relieved the commission OF a large
number Of cases.
Hereafter, according to the bill
passed yesterday there will be no
appeal from decisions Of tht Rent
Commissio nexceupt to the District
Surreme Court" Mr.. GUIDE declared.