Evening star., 1940-03-04
Answers Protest on
Alexandria Zoninu
criticism Of Regulations Hsld
Contrary to Established
Foets Of cose
70 the EDITOR Of The star:

70 the Editor OF The star:
observed in The Star Of February 26
letter from "A Virginian" regarding
the zoning situation In Alexandra.
From this letter 1t would seem that the
writer intended to convey the idea that
owners Of two-family residences had
had their residences rezoned to bring
them into Zone A, the zone which, Is
restricted to one-family residences. No
such procedure has occurred. The &C
tual facts In the case are that several
years ago coming regulations were estab-
1ished for Alexandra. Some zones were
set OF for single-family residences and
others for two-family houses. If, at the
time the zone laws were established,
person had a two-fanily house in q
zone established as one-family zone
nothing has been done to force the
owners OF the two-family houses to con-
vert that house into one-family resi-
dence. However, since the establish
ment Of coming certain people living in
one-famtly zones have converted their
houses into two-family houses without
any permit from the authorities for SO
doing. Other people have deliberately
erected two-family houses in one family
zones and In some instances have
changed the construction Of their houses
from plans approved for one-family
homes. 1t is these people who have
violated the zoning laws, who have been
brought into court in some instances,
and not the people who already owned
two-family houses when the zoning laws
were established.
There are a number of two-family
zones in Alexandria and If a person de-
sired to erect two-family house there
is nothing to prevent them so doing
provided they do not invade a one
family zone.
The writer of the article expresses
much sympathy for the poor widow who
has to have two-family house in order
to live, but there Is nothing in. the zone
laws of Alexandria which would prevent
that same poor widow from having
roomers since that does not constitute
a two-family house. Again the writer
sympathizes with the young couple who
need the added income in order to pay
for their home. The same young couple
could have bought or built In a two
family zone In which case they would
have the same opportunity OF obtaining
money from the rental of the second
apartment In their house as though
they had built or bought In a one
family zone.
The real reason why those who have
violated the zoning law desire to retain
their two-family houses in family
zones Is because 1t is well-recognized
fact among all real estate people that
two-family houses lead to population
congestion In those zones In which they
are prevalent and with this population
congestion there follows degeneration
OF the property and of property values.
BY establishing two-family houses in
one-family zones the owners of these
two-family houses hope to be able to
trade on the conditions of less conges-
ton and higher values which prevail
In one-family zones. In other words,
the invaders Of one-family zones disre-
gard the fact that they are positively
injuring their neighbors because once
the two-family houses are established
in a one-family zone a decrease in
property value Immediately sets in.
The writer of the article assumes that
the two-family house will have no more
occupants than q one-family house.
This assumption is not brought out by
the facts. The present writer is credibly
informed that in one small two-family
house, in one-family zone, no less
than IL people are living and many
other instances of such congestion
might be given
The whole matter bols down to this:
A number of people have violated the
law regarding the building of two-family
houses or Of the conversion Of one
family houses into two family houses in
Zone A restricted for the use of one
family homes and these people now
seek to avoid the result of law violation
careless of the injury they may inflict on
their neighbors
ANOTHER VIRGINIAN.
February 81.