Evening star., 1941-10-17
Rent Control
Bill Agreed On
In Principle
Randolph Expects
Measure Will Be
Approved Monday


The House District Committee,
meeting in executive session today,
agreed on the general principles OF
an emergency rent control measure
for Washington, but differed on GER =
tain particulars and deferred action
until 10 a m. Monday.
A tentative bill placed before the
committee, and understood to have
its general approval, gives pro-
posed rent administrator wide dis
cretion in raising or lowering rents.
Chairman Randolph said after the
closed session: Il have no doubt the
committee will report out a rent
control bill"
Five Points at Issue.
Mr.. Randolph added that although
the tentative draft, representing
compromise of several suggested
plans, was acceptable in principle 10
those present, five points remained
at issue. These were:
l. Whether the administrator Of
rent control should be appointed by
the President or by the District
Commissioners.
2. The date TO be used as the basis
for fixing a general ceiling on
rents. Real estate interests wanted
this set as September. 1910, and the
Office of Price Control suggested
September, l94l.
3. Whether the administrator
should require licenses of all land
lords. Real estate men opposed
this.
4. Termination date of rent con-
troll. The real estate groups urged
definite date, while the o. P. C.
preferred to leave it to the Presi-
dent TO proclaim the end of the
emergency.
). Whether the administrator
should require certain reports from
landlords and rental agencies giving
data on expenses, tenants and other
facts.
General Provisions Listed.
While the committee took no for
NAL action on the bill, there was re-
ported to have been general agree
ment among those members present
on other provisions.
The draft placed before the COM
mittee by its National Defense Sub
committee. representing an attempt
Of all interests to get together on
the legislation. contained these gen.
eral provisions:
Rents in general would be frozen
from the date to be fixed in the bill
The administrator. however, would
have power to adjust rents upward
or downward if he determined that
changes in taxes or in other eX-
penses justified such changes.
Any landlord or tenant may pc
/. tition the administrator to adjust
the maximum rent ceiling applicable
to his housing accommodations on
the ground that such maximum rent
ceiling it, due to peculiar circum-
stances, affecting such housing aC-
! commodations. substantially higher
or lower than the rent generally pre-
vailing for comparable housing &C
commodations."
The administrator would have
power TO adjust such rents.
Landlords Could Petition.
| A landlord would have the right
/ to petition for permission to charge
higher rent because his taxes had
been increased or he had invested
substantial capital Improvements in
the property.
Any tenant also could seek lower
rent on the ground that the accom-
modations and service given him
were below minimum standards Gus
tomarily provided for houses or
J apartments of the same type.
On the other hand, a landlord
would have the right to petition the
administrator for permission to re-
duce the service supplied by him in
connection with any housing ac-
commodations."
If the administrator determined
that such reduction of service was
to be made in good faith for valid
business reasons and was not incon-
sistent with the purposes of the act,
he could grant such permission.
The pending bill provides that no
landlord could maintain a legal ac-
tion to oust tenant on the ground
that the tenant had no lease, or his
lease had expired. so long as the
tenant continued to pay the rent
to which the landlord is entitled"
Custer Case Exemption.
Exceptions would be made in case
the tenant was using the premises
for Illegal purposes or otherwise vio-
lating the usual terms of tenancy.
A landlord also would have the
right to seek in good faith" to re-
cover possession of rented property
for his personal use. or to sell it or
remodel it or tear it down for re-
placement with new structure.
Meeting with the committee to-
day, Commissioner Guy Mason gave
members the benefit of his expert
ence as member of the District
Rent Control Board during the last
war.
| Also present at the executive ses-
sion were E. Barrett Prettyman,
former corporation counsel, repE.-
senting the real estate interests, and
Karl Borders, from the Office of
Leon Henderson, Price Admins
traitor.