Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-02-04
.0ne.Man Rule
For BOARDING
Houses Urged
Group to Study
Proposal Named
By Commissioners

A proposal that one official be
given charge of the licensing and
regulation Of rooming and boarding
houses In the District, as q matter of
convenience to the public and more
efficient operation, Is being consid-
cred by the Board of Commissioners.
The Commissioners have named a
committee Of Is to consider the pro-
posed modification, suggested by J.
Bernard Wyckoff of the Washington
Housing Association, who made the
point that there are now seven mu-
nicipal agencies interested in regu-
lation and licensing of rooming and
boarding houses-health, plumbing,
fire, police, zoning and rent control
officials. He argued that places an
undue burden on rooming and
boarding house managers and an
expensive and complex burden on
the city Government.
Mr. Wyckof said Capitalization Of
authority in one official was espe-
cially important today because of
overcrowding and lack of sanitation
which, he said. constituted a serious
menace to public health.
Two Hundred Requests a Day.
An appeal for more home owners
who are renting out rooms to de-
Tense workers to include board in
their offer was made, meanwhile.
by Roy Miller. manager of the Dis
trict Defense Housing Registry.
Mr.. Miller urged that the property
owners at least offer to serve break
fast so the roomers wouldn't have
to get up earlier to walk, in some
cases, several blocks to the nearest
restaurant.
The registry manager reported
that an average of about 200 re-
quests day for living quarters are
pouring in. Since the opening date
January ID. the registry has handled
3l29 applications.
Mr.. Miller also said more house.
holders are applying for the free
survey offered by tie Home Owners
Loan Corp. TO determine whether
1t is advisable to convert their
homes into small apartment units.
The H. o. L. c. draws up prelimi-
nary plans and the householder then
seeks private capital to finance the
alteration.
Another housing survey, this time
by the Police Department, is being
made to locate vacant space for the
city's expanding population of war
workers.
Survey Ordered Rushed.
Police Chief Edward J. Kelly to-
day ordered precinct commanders
to expedite the survey at request
of the Alley Dwelling Authority,
which Maj. Kelly wrote, is being
pressed by the defense housing CO.
ordinator to provide accommoda-
lions for emergency workers who
are coming to the city in large
numbers"
Forms for making the survey were
supplied precinct commanders jan
uary 20, and they were ordered today
to return the reports "at the earliest
possible time
The Defense Housing Agency. it
was said, is working in co-opera-
ton with the District Commissioners
to compile all available data as a
basis for planning an expenditure
of $50, 900 900 expected to be author
lied by Congress for emergency
housing in this area.
Earlier Rent Administrator Rob-
ert F. Cogswell moved to clarity the
application of the rent law to new
apartment houses and rooms rented
out by private owners wishing to
help in the housing emergency. Such
rents, Mr.. Cogswell said, will be
considered fair and reasonable" un-
til reviewed ~ his Office. His ruling
was in response to calls from persons
willing to rent rooms to incoming
Government workers, but afraid Of
violating the rent act.
Tenants Refuse to Pay Rents,
Members of the committee named
by the Commissioners to study CEN
traliZing rooming and boarding
house licensing are:
Inspector Harvey G. Callahan, as
sistant superintendent of police; Mr..
Cogswell, District Building Inspector
Robert Davis, Welfare Director Con-
rad Van Hyning. Mrs. Helen Duey
Hoffman, executive director of the
Washington Housing Association;
John Ihlder, executive officer of the
Alley Dwelling Authority; Corpora
ton Counsel B. Keech, Charles
Koones, president of the Washing
ton Counsel Richmond B. Keech,
Charles KooneS, president of the
Washington Real Estate Board; Fire
Chief Stephen T. Porter, Health
Officer George G. Rutland, DR..
Laurence M. Schmeckebier, politi-
cal economist of the Brookings
Institution and a director of the
housing association; 1t. Col. Bev-
erly Snow, Assistant Engineer
Commissioner: Samuel Tapp, Dis
trict plumbing inspector; George
Thompson, specialist on building and
housing codes, Bureau of Stand
ards and a director in the housing
association, and Lawrence Williams,
chairman of the housing subcom-
mittee of the Civilian Defense Hous-
ing Registry.
A date for the meeting of this
group has not yet been set.
Mr.. Cogswells Qualification ruling
on rents was also made because of
complaints from owners Of new
apartment buildings, who reported
many instances where tenants re-
fused to pay rent until maximum
ceilings for the units had been fixed
by the rent Office.
Affects Rentals After January 1.
The ruling affects all housing &C
commodations in the District which
were not rented in 1910 Or on Janu-
airy !. 1941, freezing date under the
law for rents and services. Where
a unit was rented in 1910, but was
not occupied on the freezing date,
the maximum rent ceiling is fixed
by law at the rent and service to
which the landlord and tenant were
last entitled in 1910.
That part of the law which has
caused concern to owners of newly
rented apartments or rooms, and the