Evening star., 1947-07-15
1enantsBandinq.I /.
To Battle Higher !.
Arlington Rents !. !:
Two Developments y
Plan Three Boosts = :
Of 5 Per Cent Each

Tenants of several Arlington
County apartment developments to-
day were moving to form tenants
leagues for more strict" rent con-
troll, as additional rent-increase
plans were disclosed by landlords.
Last night more than 100 residents
OF Fillmore Gardens met at the
Patrick Henry School, and meetings
of Lee Gardens and Buckingham
tenants are scheduled, tomorrow and
Thursday evenings, respectively.
Three increases OF S per cent each
over an 11-month period, plus a
boost in the charge for telephone
service. have been proposed for the
1,060 tenants of Colonial Village,
and the 655 tenants of Arlington
Village, both in Arlington.
Letters have gone to tenants Offer
ing leases extending to December
81. 1948, as allowed by law, with
rent increases as follows: per
cent starting August /; second S
per- cent beginning January !, 1948,
and the third per cent effective
July l, l948.
Switchboard Prices to Rise.
Cost of switchboard service to ten
ants will be increased as follows, ac-
cording to the management: out
going calls increased from cents to
cents each; inter apartment calls.
2 cents each. At present there is
no charge for inter-apartment calls.
except for service charge of $l.25
per month per apartment.
Under the new National Rent Act.
landlords are permitted to offer
leases extending to December 81,
1948, which embody a Is per cent
rent increase, for the voluntary ac-
ceptance or rejection by tenants.
The offer on the two developments,
owned by Gustave Ring, must be ac-
cepted by August 1, according to the
management's letter.
I'm the event that you wish to
avail yourself of the privilege Of
having lease on your apartment in
accordance with the present offer,
you should return the executed
agreement to us by August l." the
letter said. 1.-The offer will not be
renewed after August /, 1947."
Mr.. Ring said maintenance Of
switchboard service had meant a
loss to the management totaling
about $4,000 year.
Letter Explains Stand.
The letter to tenants pointed out
that the management followed the
policy of maintaining the lowest rent
in the area for like accommoda
and that while other property own
ers having less desirable property
increased their rentals in 1910 and
1941, no such increases were effected
by u.s."
Following that policy, the man.
agement said, "if it should develop
that the rental for the last six
months" of the proposed lease rs
not competitive, then the manage
ment, consistent with its prior
policy, will give consideration to
possible reduction" ....
Rents now range from a low Of
$43 for certain one-bedroom apart
ments to SIT for three-bedroom
apartments.
Meetings Scheduled.
Lee Gardens tenants will meet at
$50 pm. in the Lyon Park COM
munity Center, while Buckingham
tenants will meet at $3.50 pm. at the
Beth Ell Temple. All meetings are
sponsored by the Arlington Con-
sumers League.
Mrs. Virginia Durr, chairman Of
the Committee for Virginia, South
ern Conference for Human Welfare.
asked Fillmore Gardens tenants at
last nights gathering to write their
Congressman to enact rent laws
which will protect tenants from rent
increases"
The meeting voted unanimously
to recommend David Carliner, Ar
lington and Washington attorney,
who addressed the group, to Cover
nor Tuck as candidate for the rent
control board to be set up under the
new rent control act.
The Fillmore Gardens group will
meet again at 8 pm. Monday at the
school.