Evening star., 1941-09-27
Rent Witness
Loses Lease
AT Buckingham
Richter Charges
Notice Came Day
After Testimony

A charge that a tenant protest
ing higher rents before con-
gressional subcommittee had been
"victimized" by his landlord and
asked to move today was in the
hands of Representative Randolph,
chairman of the House District
Committee.
Irving Richter, an employe of the
Wage-Hour division of the Labor
Department, received notice yes
terday that his lease at Buckingham
Community in Arlington County,
Va, which expires November 80,
will not be renewed by the manage
ment. Thursday, Mr. Richter ap-
peared before a House subcommit-
tee conducting hearings on rent
control legislation for the District
and charged tenants who protested
unfair and unjustifiable rent in
creaSeS" were "purged" from the
nearby Virginia apartment project.
Frank Arbello, general manager
of Buckingham, called the notice
to Mr.. Richter coincidence" and
tween the Labor Department en-
ploye's testimony and the apart
ment management's notice that he
must move out.
Two Others Refused Renewals.
Mr.. Richter said there have been
three rent raises at Buckingham
since the first units of the apart
ment project were completed. Sub
sequently. Mr.. Richter declared, the
Buckingham Civic Association con-
Quoted an investigation of the in
creaSes and protested to the man.
agement. Thereafter two presidents
of the Buckingham Civic Association
were refused renewals of their leases
although each lived in Buckingham
for about two years. Mr.. Richter
said.
He listed the two presidents as
DR.. Earl Beckner, first president of
the organization, who was forced
to move with his wife, two children
and father, and Joe Egert, whose
lease recently expired. Mr.. Egert'
talked with Miss Harriet Elliott of
the consumers division of the La
Dor Department on the rent raises.
Mr.. Richter is a member of the
Buckingham Civic Leagues Execu-
tive Board, which will function un-
til new president is elected to
succeed Mr.. Egert.
Believes Testimony is Cause.
The Labor Department employe
said he has little doubt that he
failed to obtain a lease renewal,
after living in Buckingham two
years, because of his appearance be-
fore the congressional subcommit-
tee. He said he first appeared as a
witness Tuesday but was not called
on to testify until Thursday. He
added that the notice he received
in the mail was dated Tuesday and
the envelope was postmarked with
Thursdays date.
Mrs. Jean Claus, executive secre-
tary of the civic group, last night
sent the following telegram to Rep
resentative Randolph:
Irving Richter of our Executive
Board, whose rent testimony was
given before the District Committee
yesterday, was given notice today to
vacate apartment in Buckingham.
Respectfully urge your assistance in
preventing victimization of congress
sional witnesses"
Will Seek Investigation.
The association will seek an in
vestigation of the incident by the
Office of Price Administration and
the Northern Virginia Regional De-
fense Council, Mr.. Richter said
Mr. Arbello issued the following
statement:
The fact that Mr.. Irving Richter
received notice that no renewal of
lease would be given him at the
expiration of his present lease
shortly after he appeared before
the House Committee is purely CO.
incidental Office records plus
United States Post Office registered
mail receipts show that this notice
was filed before Mr.. Richter's ap-
pearance before the House COM
mittee investigating rental increases.
1T has been necessary since the
inception of Buckingham to refuse
renewal of leases to some tenants.
Out of 1880 families it is only
natural that some few would be
denied renewal of leases.
The rent increases effective in
Buckingham we're officially ap-
proved by the Federal Housing Ad-
ministration over year ago. After
an investigation by the Virginia De-
fense Council a few months ago
these increases were considered not
'out of line"