Evening star., 1933-03-01
LIMIT ON EVICTION
| Of TENANTS ASKED
| BY CAPPER GROUP
Report Says Rent Levels Do
Not Equal Decline in
| Commodity Costs.
ADVOCATES MORATORIUM
| ON HOME MORTGAGES
Senator'S Request Inquiry Into Re-
port Competition in Realty Field
Here Is Stifed.

Legislation designed to limit eviction
OF tenants, provide a moratorium on
foreclosures Of mortgages and deeds of
trust on homes and complete investi-
cation by the Attorney General of
charges that competition in real estate
transactions in the District has been
stlned, were among measures recon-
mended by the Senate rent investigat-
ing subcommittee today.
The report of the group, of which
Senator Capper of Kansas is chairman,
was made public with the approval of
the Senate District Committee. A 73-
page document, it represents the find
mgs OF the subcommittee growing out
OF the lengthy investigation of the real
estate situation in Washington, which
began last year.
Declaring q state of emergency in
housing exists in the District and that
rent levels do not reflect the decline in
the cost of other commodities, the
committee urged that the District Com
missioners be vested with authority to
take such action as may be required
1or the protection Of tenants in cases
OF extreme emergency.
Annual Reports Ordered.
The report also calls upon the Sem
ate to adopt resolution calling on the
District Commissioners to enforce ex-
istlng laws and regulations affecting
public health, comfort and safety in
connection with rented property, and
directing the Commissioners to submit
to the Senate annual reports, affecting
rentals and values of apartment houses.
A bill to require the furnishing of
heat In living quarters in the District
and resolution calling on the Com
missioncrs to make study of fire and
title insurance rates and practices in
the District, with particular reference
TO the fixing of such rates and the elm.
ination Of competition, also are recon-
mended.
In bringing in the report of the sub
committee, Senator Capper stated:
The subcommittee is aware that GER
tain Of the proposals herein suggested
are OF an extraordinary nature, and are
justified only by the existence of ex-
traordinary conditions of housing in the
District of Columbia. The subcommit-
tee has given serious consideration to
the suggestion that regulation Of rents
by a commission should be reinstituted
In the District. The question will be
given further study by the individual
members Of the subcommittee and suita-
BILE recommendations for requisite legis-
lation will be made when and if it is
deemed necessary to accelerate their
reductions in rentals"
10 Per Cent Destitute.
The conclusions of the suubcommit-
tee with reference to the emergency
In housing" said almost 10 per cent Of
the families in the District are desti-
tute and entirely dependent on public
OF private relief.
There is in the District a dire lack
OF low-coSt, sanitary housing" the re-
port stated. This condition is accentu-
ated by the inability of municipal re-
lief authorities to find adequate hous-
ing Tor families made homeless by evic-
ton. Unable to match their reduced
incomes against present rent levels,
residents of the District are resorting
OF doubling up in living accommoda-
tlons, thereby endangering health and
morals
Asserting rent levels do not show the
same decline as do rents in other
cities, the report states that rents of
apartments here underwent an average
reduction of less than per cent during
the past year, while rent reductions in
houses were SO insignificant that it
may be stated that such rents show
practically no change from those of a
year ago."
The subcommittee voiced its opinion
that the public policies of the Wash
1ngton Real Estate Board have been de-
ncient IN many respects" and that rep
resentatives Of the board have offered
no constructive suggestions for improve
ment OF the rental situation"
The subcommittee felt that some of
the outstanding defects in the housing
situation can be reached by legislation
which has already been passed by the
Senate but has not yet been enacted
into law.
The subcommittee based its report on
the evidence and data accumulated by
oscar H. Brinkman, its counsel, and
on testimony given at lengthy hearings
during the past several months.