Evening star., 1924-10-31
REALTORS PLACE
| .EV|CT|ONS At IS
Mrs. Taylor Renews Charges
as Landlords Give Presi-
dent Figures.

tons to the President that the rental
situation in the District of Columbia
has been grossly exaggerated" the
Washington Real Estate Board today
sent to the White House the results
OF survey Of the situation showing
that only Is notices to vacate, exclu-
sive Of the ordinary cases of default
In payment of rent, had been served
by the members of the board.
This survey, the result of informa-
ton gathered from SO members of the
board. who represent practically all
OF those members handling rental
properties. shows that there are LOSS
vacant apartments listed for rent and
Io9 vacant houses: that there have
been 1854 voluntary decreases in rent
eHective October !, on the part of the
realtors. and BAT increases in rent. of
which 293 do not exceed a so per cent
increase over pre-war levels Of rent
Say Situation CHANGED.
The letter also states that landlords
are now forced by competition to
offer inducements to obtain tenants
and that inquiries from persons desir-
ing TO rent have decreased so per cent
since last year
Inc situation was further compli-
Gated, however, when Mrs Taylot
reah1rmed her charges of wholesale
notices to quit being served on
tenants
Says $3.50 Ordered Out.
1T was called to my attention to-
day that $3.50 eviction cases have
been filed in the Municipal Court
since September last" said Mrs.
Taylor, who charged the Real Estate
Board with only taking into consid-
GRAFTON legal eviction notices served
by the court, and not those notices
to quit and vacate" not served by the
court.
"A great many Of these notice to
quit cases never come before the
court, because the tenant is so intim-
idated that they either move or pay
higher rent" she said. 81 have had
great number of persons come to me
who have been SO intimidated that
they have begged me to withhold
their names, because they were
afraid of losing their jobs, or being
put out of their apartments or
houses If it was learned that they
had complained to me or the rent
commission" declared Mrs. Taylor.
Names Landlord in Cases.
Mrs. Taylor named four persons con-
houses who were not members of the
Real Estate Board who, she stated,
had been raising rents and sending
eviction notices. She also named "a
apartment houses where she declared
from one to all of the tenants had
received notices to quit as the al
tentative of paying rent increases.
Mrs. Taylor stated that she knew of
many tenants in houses who had re-
ceived similar notices
The text of the realtors letter to
the President reads as follows:
Pursuant to my letter of October "a,
give you below summary of the
facts obtained from the members of
this board relative to the rent sit
uation in Washington:
Number of vacant apartments listed
for rent. 1866.
Number of vacant houses listed for
rent, 75S.
Number of notices to vacate served
on tenants, IS.
Number of rent increases, 347.
Number of rent reductions, lisa
The above information is based on
replies received from SO members of
this board, which represents practi-'
calFy the entire portion of our men,
bership that handles rental properties.
These offices report that the number
of persons inQutring for places to
rent is less than so per cent of the
number making inquiries in October,
1928. This fact, together with the
number of vacant properties avail
able, rather clearly indicates that the
situation is normal and that there Is
no housing emergency in Washington.
The number of vacant properties
above mentioned may be reduced 10
per cent to offset possible Implications
occas1oneo by owners listing their
properties in more than one office.
Deny Recent Charges.
Your attention is especially called
to the number of notices to vacate.
which Is negligible as compared with
recent statements in the press. This
figure does not include any notices
served in the ordinary cases of de-
fault in payment of rent. OF the 347
notices of increases in rent, 2s3 did
not exceed a so per cent increase over
the pre-war level of rents.
The number Of reductions in rent
above noted Is evidence that the law
of supply and demand is operative and
that landlords are forced by competi-
tion to offer inducements to secure
tenants.
This board feels that the result of
this survey justifies the statement
that there is no housing emergency
nor need for alarm in respect to
abuses Of tenants.
We are opposed to unwarranted
evictionS and unjust rent increases
and have every confidence that the
members of this board will keep
within the bounds of fairness and
justice in their dealings with land
lords and tenants.
If there Is any further service that
this board can render you, be as
sured that our complete facilities are
at your command.
Respectfully,
JOHN A. PETTY,