Evening star., 1943-02-27
IFS Receive Notices
vacate Rooms in
Belmont Gardens
Management to Ask
Rent Officials for
Permission to Close

Notices to vacate by April l have
been given to about ITS occupants
said to be mostly war workers-of
Belmont Gardens, 1859 r street
NV, it was learned today.
1t is understood that the Rent
Control Administration has been
told informally" that the manage
ment will ask permission to close
at hearing Monday. The original
petition, it was said. asked either
that the management be given the
right to increase rates or to close.
Hyman Goldstein, an attorney for
the management, said the order to
vacate was not from any desire "to
hurt the tenants-but we can't help
ourselves. An organization of this
size can't compete with smaller es-
tablishments."
About a week ago the tenants
were given notices of a petition to
the rent administration for permis-
sion to increase rates for room and
board. A house committee was Or
ganized to fight the proposed in
creases, with Miss Dorothy Pickens
of the Office of Price Administra-
ton selected as its head. She said
the committee represented about Ito
of the occupants.
$4,000 Monthly Loss Claimed.
According to the. committee, the
notices to vacate were given out
Thursday night and yesterday. Ed
ward Slattery Of the Civil Aero
nautics Board staff, another tenant
said that when the notice was dis
tributed many of the occupants
came to him and said they would
have to leave the city.
TT is too discouraging to look
elsewhere" he explained. "And
practically all of them are in war
work" he added.
In the notice to tenants of the
petition to raise the rates the man.
agement informed them that "youl
petitioner is now sustaining loss
in excess of $4,000 a month" II
said the increased labor cost was sc
per cent, food cost 40 per cent and
general maintenance and supplies
40 per cent.
"Since January 1, 1941, though
petitioner has maintained substan-
TALLY the same menus and service
standards, there have been tre-
mendous increase in operation
COSTS" the notice stated.
The later notice to vacate in
formed the tenants that "after
further considering the financial
situation it had been concluded that
even though the increases in rent
ceilings requested in the petition
were granted, it would not be in a
position to continue "to operate this
establishment on sound economic
basis" It then went on to notify
the tenants that it would request the
Rent Control Administration for
permission to discontinue.
$50 Increase Proposed.
Mr.. Slattery said in his own case
it had been proposed to increase his
rates-which included two meals a
day-$30 a month. A similar in
crease, he said, would apply to his
roommate.
"The most gravely affected will be
those in the $35 week stenographel
class, who are paying $4750 or $5C
a month now. The increases would
go up to $50 or $65 and In some cases
higher" he charged
Miss Pickens said that involved in
the case was the main building al
1859 r street and seven annexes.
Miss Pickens expressed fear that
Belmont Gardens would not be ar
isolated case and that workers woulc
find themselves fighting two wars
the real war and one against the
landlords"
According to the management at
torney, Mrs. Frederick Sterling owns
many of the buildings involved. The
establishment operates under the
x, IL nal.>A