Evening star., 1946-06-02
Limited Controls
ION Commercial
Rents Proposed
District Officials
Say PIon Would Aid
Landlords, Tenants
By Don S. Worren


A plan for limited controls over
commercial property rentals was
proposed last night by District off,
cials as congressional committees
scheduled series of steps to push
ahead with other phases Of the
city's legislative program.
A "simplified" plan that contains
no rental freezing date, but au-
thorizes Rent Administrator Robert
F. Cogswell to act on formal petit
tions by tenants or landlords, it
was learned, has been drafted for
the Commissioners by Corporation
Counsel Vernon E. West.
Adopt McCarran Definition.
! In reporting the measure to the
full committee, the McGehee SUBJ
committee inserted the definition
that was proposed in the original
McCarran bill but was replaced by
another at the inSistence of Sena-
tors Wagner of New York and Ell
lender of Louisiana, Democrats.
This definition is intended to re-
strict housing construction by the
, National Capital Housing Authority
for those in the Submerged fifth"
of the population, according to fam
lily income classification.
Representative Dirksen, Republi-
can, of Illinois, District commit
teeman, has agreed with city plan
ming and NCHA officials that this
definition is too restrictive and cum
bersofne, but he added yesterday he
also was not satisfied with the rule
laid down in the bill as passed by
the Senate.
Chairman Mcmillan of the House
District group has scheduled an
other hearing for Tuesday at 10
m. on bills to authorize limitations
on the number of taXicabs licensed
! by the District.
.Ssudy Several Proposals.
Several different commercial rent
proposals already are under study
by subcommittee of the House
District Committee headed by Rep
reseHtative Healy, Democrat, of
California. These have encountered
strong opposition from owners and
managers of commercial proper
ties.
Copies of the Commissioners
compromise" plan were not avail
able last night, but Corporation
Counsel West said the new plan
was designed to stop rent goug-
ing without having to set up an
expensive system for surveying
business rentals throughout the
District.
While there would be no rental
freezing date, evictions of tenants
who refuse to pay demanded rent
boosts would be halted, he said, by
provisions permitting appeals to
the rent administrator, Mr.. Gogs-F
well. So
The rent administrator would be
directed an empowered to sascer-
tain what would be fair and reason
able rentals. These would be based |
on evidence as to prevailing rentals
for the most nearly comparable
properties. There would be an ap-
peal from his decisions to the NUM-
cipal Court of Appeals.
Rents Held Reasonable.
Such control plan, Mr.. West said
is based on the belief that most
commercial rentals in the District
have been kept at reasonable" levels
but would afford tenants protection
against landlords who seek to gouge
them, or landlords against tenants
who refuse to pay rentals determined
to be reasonable
Bills to ban the erection of tele-
vision towers in residential districts
and to revamp the board of South
eastern University of the Young
Mems Christian Association are to
be reported to the full committee
without recommendation A de-
cision to this effect has been reached
in a poll of subcommittee members
taken at the direction of Repre-
sentative Abernethy, Democrat, of
Mississippi.
Officials did not anticipate action
on these measures. nor on the sum-
mer time daylight saving plan, at
tomorrow's meeting because of
lengthy discussion expected on the
slun bill.
Acting Chairman Hoey of the Sen
ate District Committee said he would
review early this week all bills on
the committee calendar to determine
what measures should be called up
for action at an early session.
b He already has listed as one of
khese the House-passed bill to trans
4er control of the District penal
Institutions from the Board of Pub
&c Welfare to a penal director di-
Tectly under the District Commits
Aoners.
There are a number of District
measures awaiting action on the
Senate calendar. including the Nc
Carran bill to create a commission
to draft "self rule" plan for the
District providing for partly
elected city council.