Evening star., 1948-10-06
CityHeads Study
New Fees for
Rooming Houses
Leohy Fovors Plan,
But Other Owners
Attack Proposal


consideration today q new schedul
OF fees for licensing and inspection
Of multiple housing facilities whicl
were scaled down baout 80 per cen
from the first fee schedule proposes
by the Commissioners Special Publ
Housing Committee.
The new fee schedule which woul'
70 into effect November /, If ap
proved, was greeted with mikes
reaction from representatives o
Washington property owners at tn
Commissioners hearing on tn,
proposal.
Attorney William E. Leahy, repre-
senting the Washington Real Estate
Board, said he believed the schedule
represented a fair adjustment TO
. years time, but called for careful
study to reduce fee costs eventually
Charles j. Bauer, secretary of th'
Building Owners and Managers
Association, declared, however, th'
proposed fees are too high. HI
urged appointment of representa-
tive committee of property owners
to further investigate the situation
and adjust the fee schedule down
ward.
Should Balance d. C. Cost.
The proposed fees, according tt
Assistant Corporation Counsel Mil
ton J. Norman. chairman of thu
Housing Committee. should bring
the District about $357,759 a year.
He said this figure is the approx
mate cost to the District of licens'
ing. supervising and inspecting the
various forms of public housing here
The earlier proposed set of fees
since abandoned by the housing
committee. would have produced
about $497 900 a year.
The fees presently charged anC
the proposed new fees are as fol.
lows:
Apartment Houses-Now. SIS 6
year for any apartment house re-
gardless of size. Proposed, SIS 8
year for each two-story apartment
house containing no more than foul
apartments; $40 for each apartment
house, not originally constructed a.
such, and containing no more thar
four apartments; S25 a year for the
first Is apartments in each apart.
ment house containing five or more
apartments, plus S. year for each
additional Is apartments or any
fraction thereof.
Tenements Would Be Licensed.
Tenement Houses-Now, no Ii.
cense fee required. Proposed, $50 q
year for each tenement house con-
tanning no more than five tene-
ments; $50, year for the first five
tenements in each tenement house
containing more than five tene-
ments, plus IS a year for each ad-
ditional five tenements or any frac-
ton thereof.
Rooming Houses-Now. SIS year
Proposed, SIS year for each ROOM
ing house containing accommoda-
tions for no more than 10 roomers
S25 for the first 10 accommodations
In each rooming house with accom-
modations for more than 10 ROOM
ers, plus S. year for each 10 addi-
tional accommodations or any frac-
tion thereof.
Lodging Houses-Now, SIS year
Proposed, $25 a year for each lodg-
ing house containing accommoda
tions for no more than 10 dodgers
s25 for the first 10 accommodations
in each lodging house containing
accommodations for more than II
dodgers. plus IS year for each ad.
ditional 10 accommodate tions or any
fraction thereof.
Boarding Houses Face Raise.
Boarding houses-Now, SIS a year
Proposed, $25 a year; $50 a veal
for each boarding house contain.
ing sleeping accommodations or
the premises in excess of four ano
not more than 10; $50 for the first
10 accommodations in each board.
ing house containing more than II
sleeping accommodations, plus S.
q year for each 10 additional sleep.
ing accommoda tions or any frac-
tion thereof.
Hotels-Now, s18. Proposed. ST.;
Q year for each hotel containing
no more than so rooms and only
one kitchen; S25 year for each ad.
ditional kitchen and S. a year fol
each 10 additional habitable room.
with the maximum annual license
fee limited to $500 a year.
Convalescent or nursing homes
Now, SIS year. Proposed, $40 Q
year for each home containing &C.
commodations for no more thar
five convalescents; $50 for each
home with accommodations fol
more than five but not more thar
10 convalescents; $50 year fol
the first 10 accommodations over II
plus S. year for each additiona
10 accommodations.
Advertising Plan Offered.
The committee also recommended
TO the Commissioners that ar
amendment be made in the regula.
tions which would permit owner.
of lodging houses and smaller
hotels to continue for one year the
use ,1of advertising terms which
otherwise will be prohibited aftel
November l. The amendment re.
fers to prohibition against smaller
hotels that have no dining room
from advertising as hotels after tn,
regulations 60 into effect
Mr.. Bauer said ut seems mos
unfortunate that an additional bur
den should be placed on renta
housing at this time when in th'
official view the housing shortage
remains acute"
He pointed out that there are NJ
license fees for rental housing il
nearby Maryland and Virginia an,
suggested that builders and in
vestors may decide to take thei
business into the adjoining areas IL
view of the additional burden here.
Army Dentists to Get
Autonomous Stutus
The Army dentists are being givel
o. t&~ H.