Evening star., 1926-03-24
LAND VALUATION
PLAN IS OPPOSED
Richards Says rs Per Cent
Above Assessment Is Unfair
to Property Owners.

The suggestion of the Citizens Ad
visory Council that the purchase
price Of sites for use BY the District
OF Columbia be not in excess OF :"
per cent above the assessed value
was termed basically unsounc by AS
SCISSOR Richards at the District Build
ing today. The councils report com
pairing assessed valuation Of prop
erty and sale prices WAS declared
Far off the mark by Mr.. RicharoS,
wh, expressed the opinion that there
certainly could he no attempt TO as
s.,s. propcrty at its market value.
Mr.. Richards explained that II ~
the practice of the District to make
assessments on cheaper property as
light as possible. and that II woula
b.. impraccicahle to assess these prop
critics anywhere near their purchase
figure.
Overhead Left Out.
He explained that it was the prac-
+ice of his department to take into
consideration the cost of reproducing
the house together with the cost OF
The lot. and not to include tine over
abundance of overhead charges IN
connection with the development ano
purchase of these properties. he ek
niained that overhead charges, such
as development, long-term financing.
interest on loans, etc. could very
easily bring the sale price OF a $6.OOo
house up to $4,000, and that to assess
these properties at a figure to include
these overhead charges would not De
fair.
.'Tbe,y ora afuays rOmpIaiofng
about the assessment on the poor
mans property" said Mr.. Richards,
yet a large part of these purchases
and condemnations affect the poor
mans property. If the owner OF a
small house were paid the assessed
value or Il little more than such
value, tor his property. now would he
ne properly compensated when ne
would have to move to a new house
and pay much more for new property
and had added on this the overhead
charges??"
No Excessive Prices.
It was explained by those in the
District Building interested in pur-
chasing the sites that there had been
no enormous prices paid above the
assessed value. 1t was also explained
that many problems had to be faced
in the condemnation of property OF
local citizens, and that in one case,
where a mans property was con.
Iemned. ne wae not only forced to
move out Of his house and to give up
his store, where he had been doing
business for some time, but he was
also estopped by the coming regula
tions from re-establishing his bust
ness anywhere near the location
where he had already established his
trade. A mere 25 per cent award
above the assessed value, 1t was ex
planned, would be conf1scatory in this
case.
Assessor Richards declared that the
accepted principle of assessment and
condemnation In all parts of the coun
try Is in favor of the owner. In order
TO be fair in assessment. he explained
the property owner must be favored
so that no hardship will be worked
and In condemnation proceedings
where a man is forced to give up his
property, to leave his home and per
iaps give up the idea Of profitable de
yelopment, or move into more ex
pensive house. the property owner
must also be favored.
The assessor said that any attempt
TO limit the purchase price Of prop
critics for use by the District to %
per cent above assessed value would
be q very had proposition. It woulc
ltave no room, he explained. to con
slider the condition of the real estate
market, and he illustrated his re
marks by pointing out properties thai
had jumped from SIT to S35 pei
square foot by reason of economic
demand.