Evening star., 1943-05-18
|GreenbeItGroup
Plans Fight on
Rent Increases
FPHA Graded Scale
Is Opposed Despite
Gains in Incomes

A six-man committee, including
Mayor Allen D. Morrison of Green
belt, today mapped plans for fight
to the finish" against proposed rent
increases in the town, which will
become effective June /.
The committee was named last
night after approximately 500 per-
sons met In the Greenbelt Ele-
mentary School to go on record in
opposition to the graded rent pro-
gram set up last month by the
Federal Public Housing Authority.
In addition to Mayor Morrison, the
committee includes Martin Miller,
chairman; Abe Chasanow, William
S. Hennessey, Henry Griffin and
Mrs. A. N. Iannelli.
The group was authorized to go
wherever necessary to seek an ad-
justment in the proposed rent in
creases and to have them placed on
a more equitable basis" taking
into consideration the cost of living,
sizes OF families and increased taxes.
Committee Wins Support.
The residents also voted to back
the committee with funds if neces-
sary and approved a motion by Mr.,
Bowers asking that town treasury
funds be used. The meeting was
sponsored by the Greenbelt Citizens
Association.
The graded rent plan was adopt
ed by the FPHA after conferences
with the Office of Price Administrs-
ton. At the time, FPHA officials
said the rent increases were based
on ability to pay and would not ex.
ceed rent ceilings set by the OPA.
Town Manager Roy S. Braden,
who was invited to the meeting to
explain the operation of the plan,
pointed out that a survey of 625
families in Greenbelt showed the
average income of each family since
moving to the town has increased
from s1,594.15 per year to S2,ee2.54
at present.
Wage Increases Cited.
The average rental was $31.87 per
month when these families moved
in. Under the graded rent program
it would be increased to $4414.
Thus" Mr., Braden declared, "in-
comes have increased approximately
IS per cent, while the new rental
schedule represents an increase OF
only 1872 per cent"
He added that only 22.6 per cent
of the 625 families checked would
pay ceiling rentals and 11.8 per cent
would pay rents within IS of the
maximums.
He asserted that the ceilings set
by the FPHA are much lower than
those established by OPA for the
Washington metropolitan area and
that in every instance, residents will
not pay more than 20 per cent of
their incomes for rent, which in
cludes heat.
In an effort to show that the
! proposed rent increase would not
work a hardship on the residents,
Arthur RySticken, assistant town
manager, cited one family whose in
come four years ago was S1,44O a
year, with monthly rental of $38.
This family's income has increased
since to $2,683 and the rent is pro-
posed to be increased to S44.
Example Is Given.
In another case, the salary of a
resident on entering Greenbelt was
less than $1,000 year and the rent
at that time was fixed at $29 a
month. Today this resident receives
S4,971 year and the rent has been
raised to $50 month.
There are less than seven people
in Greenbelt whose incomes have
not been increased" Mr.. Rysticken
said.
Mr.. Hennessey, however, charged
that Mr.. Braden, Mr.. Rysticken and
Mrs. Mary Jane Kinzer, family serv-
ices supervisor, had initiated the
move for rent increases themselves.
u am not going to pay any in
crease and I call on you not to pay
and let's see what the OPA will do
about that" he shouted. Unite
with me and stop this rent raise
at this crucial time when we are
trying to buy bonds, raise family
and help our boys overseas"
Food Costs More.
Mr.. Miller said that the proposed
rent increases do not take into
account 200 per cent price increase
in food, 10 per cent salary deduc-
ton for the purchase of bonds, and
an increase from 31la per cent to
per cent in the retirement fund levy
for Government employees whose
salaries have gone up.
Declaring that there are only
about 1000 persons living in Govern
ment housing developments in the
Washington area, Mr.. Rysticken
pointed out that the 100000 families
living in private homes and apart
ments are faced with the same
obligations.
These people can't ask for any
reduction in rent although many of
them are paying much more than
20 per cent of their incomes for
| rent"
He explained that if a resident is
called into the armed services or If
his income is reduced, Greenbelt
officials will review the rent and