The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1947-02-27

rent ceilings at the present time.
Landlord Profits Cited
"An official government survey
of income and expenses and oc-
cupancy of small rental structures
in 60 Cities" he said, "show that
between 1889 and June 80, 1916,
the average net operating income
of landlords, after expenses, rose
42.7 per cent. A similar survey of
apartment houses in 63 cities
shows that between 1889 and June
80, 1916, net operating income,
after expenses, rose 26.7 per cent.
"In normal times a substantial
loss of income due to vacancies
must be assumed by the landlord
as a part of operating cost. That
cost has been eliminated, since
vacancies have almost completely
disappeared. In the case of small
structures, vacancy loss has been
reduced from 81 per cent in 1889
to 05 per cent in 1916. In the
case of apartment houses, vacancy
loss had been reduced from sc per
cent in 1889 to or per- cent in
1916.
Government figures reveal that
rs per cent of the landlords were
in a more profitable position in
1916 than in 1889. For the re-
naming % per cent of the land
lords, an orderly procedure has
been established under which any
landlord will receive relief upon
substantiated showing of hardship.
"No Justification"
"There is certainly no justifica-
ton, under the present conditions
of an acute housing shortage, to
relieve the hardship of a very
small minority Of landlords by a
method which would enable the
great majority of them to exact
from tenants a profit far in excess
of any profit previously earned"
Pointing to the present housing
shortage, Green predicted that
higher rents would result in many
families being dispossessed.
''The proposed general increases
in rent ceilings will lead to whole
sale evictions of families who will
be unable to meet the raised rent
bills" he said. "In the face Of the
acute housing shortage, thousands
of families in almost every com
munity will have no place to CO."
Keep Controls, He Asks
In ending, Green summarized
the AFL position as follows:
Termination of emergency war
time regulations at the earliest
date consistent with the public in
terest is stated objective of the
American Federation of Labor. 1t
is with that guiding principle in
mind that | submit to you our ma
ture and studied conclusion that a
general increase in rent ceilings
before the end Of the calendar
year 1947 would be inimical to the
public welfare and do irreparable
damage to the nations economy.
"We believe that the emergency
powers TO control rents should be
continued until June 30, 1913. A
gradual termination of rent con
trolls should not be begun prior to
Jan. |, 1913. II should then be un-
dertaken so that a 6-month period
would be utilized for an orderly |
termination Of federal rent control
by June 30, 1913.
New Building To Help
During the current calendar |
year we should be able to build at |
least 100000 new dwelling units. /
While the construction of these
units will not end the housing
shortage, it will relieve some of |
the pressure caused by the current
scarcity of housing accommoda-
tions. Sound public policy therefore
that the termination Of
rent control should not be begun
until 1948."