Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-10
Zoning and Assessment.

The series of articles in The Star
discussing the effect of coming on lower
Sixteenth street is not to be interpreted
as an argument for or against proposals
that have been made for rezoning that
territory. The purpose of the series has
been to disclose the utter and amazing
lack of coordination between the as
SCISSORS Office and the Zoning Commits
sion. zoning is relatively new. It Is
still in the experimental stage. AS
sessment for taxation is as old as the
city itself. But coming and assessments
exercise important influences upon the
destinieS of property owners. Both
should work to the advantage of the
property owner. In the case of lower
Sixteenth street the property owner is
left virtually helpless and holding the
bag between a conflict in the principles
of coming with those of assessments for
taxation.
Here, In brief, is what has happened
on lower Sixteenth street. It will hap
pen In other sections of the city. The
zoning Commission has determined to
keep Sixteenth street residential area.
1t has been reserved as a location of
fine residences, high-class apartment
houses, hotels and institutions. But
on both sides Of lower Sixteenth street
there has been a gradual encroachment
Of commerce. The area has been re-
zoned to permit the erection of business
and mercantile establishments. Lower
Sixteenth street remains as an island,
surrounded by the creeping tide of
commerce.
At the same time, Sixteenth street
has become choked traf1c artery. The
broad thorougafare is one of the busiest
in town. For this reason and because
of its proximity to commercial areas
on both sides, 1t has somewhat lost its
desirability as high-elass residential
section. At FIRST glance, this condition
should present no great difficulties for
the property owner. The land is highly
valued. Good prices have been obtained
in the sales of property. Why not sell
the old homestead and move out toward
the suburbs?
But sell it to whom? No one who can
afford to purchase property at the as
sessment value of homes on lower Six
tenth street is going to buy residence
there. Such purchasers are seeking
homes in the uncrowded and outlying
sections Of the city. Why not sell the
property as a site for a fine hotel2
But in this case the assessment ofthe
land puts it out of reach of the builder
who wants to erect an apartment or a
hotel of the class that would yield
return commensurate to the value Of
the land. The assessments have ap-
parently been based, in part, upon the
value of the land for commercial use.
But commercial use is barred by the
coming regulations. Owners of the
property, unable to sell 1t for specified
use, must pay taxes that have mounted
exorbitantly.
This problem on lower Sixteenth street
may eventually solve itself by the work.
ing Of the law Of supply and demand
But it will take long time. If the
coming law prohibits the sale of resi-
dence for anything but residential use,
assessments should be made on the
basis of residential use, and not on the
basis of the land around the corner that
demands high prices because of its
availability fot commerce. There should
be proper liaison between coming and
assessments. The assessor should at
tach as much importance to coming as
he does to the other intangible factors
that enter into assessment. At present
coming and assessment work independ-
emily, and in the case Of lower Sixteenth
to the disadvantage of the property
owner.