Evening star., 1934-05-31
D. {. HOUSING LAW.
URGED ON SENATE
Utilities Report Also De-
cIares Against Rent In
Creases at Present.
(Continued From First Page.)

perhaps a properly sponsored limited
dividend corporation should under
take this task, if the Government does
not care TO invade the field.
The rehousing of the alley and
street shack population is a problem
of legitimate concern in this con-
nection. In this case, too. govern
mental participation cannot but have
happy results. The construction of
low-cost housing for persons evicted
from the alleys should be undertaken
only in conjunction with a plan for
systematic inspection and careful
management of the flats or houses to
which these people would be moved.
BY this plan, two important economic
groups of the citys population may
be served, the low-paid Government
employe and the poor residents of the
alley slums.
Cite Wartime Hotels.
at cannot be argued successfully
that Government workers would fail
to insure the financial success of the
apartment project. 1t should be re-
membered that the same argument
was raised by selfish interests prior
to the erection in World War days of
several Government built and operated
hotels on the Capitol Plaza. While
these structures were intended for
temporary emergency occupancy, their
moderate rents were SO attractive that
continued efforts by real estate in
tereStS failed to have them removed
When at last the hotels were destroy
ed, their condition was such that con-
tinued use might have been dangerous
The operation of the limited
dividend housing companies in Wash
lngton on a profitable basis for more
than 80 years is additional proof that
fair rents within the reach of the
small wage Garner constitute a power
full inducement to continued tenancy
and consequent gain to the owners
and operators.
Great need exists for the regula-
ton of the housing business in Wash
ington.
This vastly lucrative and dominant
private activity of the Nations Cap
ital has been permitted to grow with
out restraint or guidance, and with
no effective check on the overenthusi-
asm of promoters, the cupidity of
landlords, or the destructiveneSs and
dishonesty of irresponsible tenants.
Because of this pubic inattention
to a great business, neither landlord
nor tenant is satisfied with the pres
sent state OF affairs. Relations be-
tween these two groups are strained.
The absence of normal buyer and
seller attitudes is noticeable. Instead,
there obtains an incessent tug of war
between parties to rental agreements.
The desire to obtain an advantage by
fair means or foul is uppermost. In
evltably, when such condition exists,
the public interest suffers. This pub
lie interest is represented by both
landlord and tenant. The principal
causes of this condition have been
ascertained by the commission through
its intimate contact with hundreds of
complaints during the past year.
They are: On the part of the land
lord, high rents, failure to make
promised repairs, insistence on un-
just lease provisions, lack of conSid-
Grafton IN a tenants emergency; on
the part of the tenant, failure to pay
tent, destruction or neglect of prop
erty, moving without proper notice,
failure to observe terms of lease.
Few of these causes of complaint
can be reached effectively by existing
law. Lawsuits in the Municipal Court
may be instituted to recover back rent.
or to argue insufficiency of notice to
quit. Repairs in some cases may be
compelled by building or sanitary reg
ulations The pay of Government
employees is protected from garnish-
mentS, and the building and sanitary
regulations cover only extreme cases.
Public Office Needed.
These questions affect thousands
OF Washingtonians The problems of
the landlord and the tenant cannot be
met satisfactorily except by establish
ment of a proper public Office, made