Evening star., 1946-07-26
Disregard Rent
District Suburbs
OPA Advises Tenants
To Ignore Increases
Over June 30 Ceilings


Over June 30 Ceilings
Nearby Maryland and Virginia
tenants who received rent increases
or notices of impending raises from
their landlords after expiration Of
price and rent controls June 80 can
disregard them, according to area
rent directors In the two States.
Frank c. Taylor, director for Prince
Georges, Montgomery, Charles and
Calvert Counties said that under
the OPA bill signed by President
Truman, rents will be rolled back to
the June 80 figures. I. Chance Bu-
chanan, director for Arlington,
Alexandria, Fairfax and Prince Will
liam Counties issued similar state
ment, but both admitted that their
offices could do nothing about rents
already collected in excess OF those
in effect when OPA expired.
Tenants should ignore notices Of
rent increases received from land
lords after June 80 unless they got
an official notice from this Office au-
thorizing such increases" Mr.. Tay-
lor declared. mo such action was
taken by this Office since June 30"
Few Tenants Have Paid Rise.
Mr.. Taylor explained that in al
most all instances in which rent
increases were ordered by the land
lords, the increases were to become
effective August l or September /.
so that very few if any" tenants
actually paid them.
Although several cases of pro-
posed rent increases were reported
to his office after June 80, Mr.. Tay-
lor said the great majority" Of
landlords in the area under his
Jurisdiction held the line"
Mr.. Buchanan said that none Of
the many large apartment operators
in Arlington and Alexandria hiked
their rents.
One Extreme Case Cited
There were numerous individual
complaints, he said, and one ex-
treme case involved a house where
the landlord increased the rent from
$50 to $3.50 monthly. This rent, as
any other of lesser amounts, will
revert to the June 80 level, he said.
Mr.. Buchanan said one reason
few persons were affected by higher
rentals was State law requiring
30 days notice of intention to apply
raise. ANY landlord issuing
notice during July, under the State
law, could not apply the increase
August l but would have to wait
until September /.
Mr.. Buchanan said that there
were many cases; however, where
landlords already had collected
higher rents in violation of the
State law, but anxious tenants, seek
ing to avoid evictions, paid up
rather than lose their homes. The
OPA office cannot enforce any State
law violations, he added.
Rises Stop in Maryland.
| One of the largest rent boosts re-
quested by landlords in nearby
Maryland. was SIS monthly in
crease ordered by officials of
Suitland Manor, an apartment de-
velopment in Prince Georges County.
Approximately nine tenants paying
s4950 and $3.50 a month were af-
fected by the notices, which were
to become effective August l
| Harry Kaye, manager of the de-
velopment. said today he will abide
by the law" and maintain present
rentals. He said the nine persons
to whom the notices we're sent were
nuisance" and the action was
taken in an attempt to force them
out"
| In Montgomery County. notices of
81 and So monthly rent increases
were received July by occupants
of approximately Is homes near
Rockville. All were effective Sep
tember /.
Under the notices, rents of six
room bungalows were raised from
$40 to SGT, four and five room
frame houses from SIT to S25 and
several stucco homes from SO to
$50. AS a result of the new OPA
bill, the rents of these homes will
remain the same, Mr.. Taylor said.
| ASnS iVtdtVtS DC 1bNPOL kCus
Meanwhile, in Baltimore, Leo H.
Mccormick, Office of Price Admins
tration director for Maryland, ap-
pealed today for support of con-
sumers and honest merchants" and
asked buyers to make immediate re-
ports on overcharges.
Mr. Mccormick made his appeal in
a statement praising the loyalty of
his staff and volunteer workers who
make it possible for us to swing
into immediate action behind the
renewed fight against imitation" +"
the Associated Press reported.
Il am proud of the manner in
which the staff and the boards stood
by during the interium period
There was much less than normal
turnover in the staff and apparently
no designations we're prompted by
the waiting period. Only one volun-
teer board member resigned.
Asks Support of All.
"Once again we shall need the
support of consumers and honest
merchants. Changes are expected
under the new regulations and these
! changes will be given to the public
: as quickly as they are received. Al
the present time, the law provide.
/ that the maximum prices are thoss
!, in effect June 80, 1916, except fol
! those items specifically decontroiled
There will be no let up whatsoever
: in enforcement Of the regulations
Rigid enforcement is necessary te
bring the black market operator tt
t justice and protect the homes
= trades people.
r mo violations will be forgotten
t For example, Hugo Ricciuti, chic
: enforcement attorney. will fill
within the next few days Is cour
cases concerning alleged violation
of the rental regulations prior t.
June 80, 1916"