Evening star., 1943-04-03
Brown Studies
Revision Of
Rent Control
Takes 4-Point Plan
Of Realty Group
! Under Amusement

Price Administrator Prentiss M
Brown today has under advisement
a four point program for revision of
rent control following the submis-
sion of the report of the Washing
ton Committee of the National As
sociation of Real Estate Boards,
and it is expected that some action
will be taken on the matter shortly.
Though Mr.. Brown. following a
conference this week with members
OF the committee, was noncommital
realtors for changing the admins
trative features of the present set
up, it is understood he felt some
thing should be done about the one
third down payment phase on home
purchases"
Realtors here felt that there is
a good possibility that this regula-
ton would be lightened to permit
considerably lower down payment
on bona fide home purchases. How
soon the OPA will take action. If
any. on the problems raised by the
realtors was matter for specula-
tion, but it seemed probable the
subject will be held in abeyance
until further Government survey
of the situation could be made.
A point for changing the rent con-
troll administration as an anti-in-
f1ationary measure was that OPA
adopt as its standards governing
purchases those used by the Fed
eral Housing Administration which
requires down payment of 10 per
cent on homes of $4,000 or less and
20 per cent for dwellings over that
amount.
Seek Local Committees.
possession should be permitted on
the first day of the, second month
after execution of contract for sale
as well as giving notice to the ten
ant.
The realty group which confer
red here this week with Paul A.
Porter and his staff in the Rent
Control Division of OPA. is seeking
to have local and neighborhood
committees of citizens with advisory
and appellate rights to work with
the Government agency's repre-
sentatives. These committees. it
was maintained should be able to
draw on their knowledge of local
conditions in assisting area rent di-
rectors. 1t was recommended to
Mr. Brown that the local commit
tees should be authorized to give
warranted relief to both landlords
and tenants under Individual and
special circumstances and to cor
rect anomalies"
be adopted on the part of OPA in
recognizing the need for a fair and
equitable relationship between rents
and other controlled prices in the
war economy. Local costs involved
in the operation of residential prop
critics, including reserves for depre-
citation and deferred maintenance,
should be given more complete con-
Eideration in determining rents, the
statement declared.
Cooperation Pledged.
"A broader attitude in the fair ad-
ministration of the law on the part
of OPA obviously is necessary for the
successful operation of sound rent
control system. Proper care has
not always been exercised by OPA
to avoid the creation of prejudice
and emotion the committee report
stated
The association pledged, on behalf
Of realtors of the Nation, that vigor-
Gus action will be enforced through
its own channels to prevent evasions
of the law, "phony sales" or any at
tempted subterfuge. The realtors
code of ethics will be invoked to as
sure fullest adherence to the law in
cooperation with the Government
in the carrying out of fair and
equitable system of preventing in
fationary rents. the group added.
The nine-page brief presented to
Mr.. Brown during the conference
contained a lengthy discussion of
points which the realtors felt backed
their arguments for administrative
revision of the rent control organi-
zation. The formal statement ac-
companying the program said:
Indorse Control.
"The association and its WASH
ington committee firmly indorse
sound rent and just rent control in
time of war. The association advo-
Gated sound rent control as a neces-
sary war measure when such a pro-
gram first was proposed 1t is self
See BROWN, Page B-2D