Evening star., 1948-09-07
Housing Owners
Urge Revision
OF 0fNewCode
Object Particularly
To Classification of
Tenement House

REPRESENTATIVES of Washington
housing groups today asked the
Commissioners to name small COM
mittee of housing experts to study
and revise a proposed code OF hous-
ing classifications in connection with
increases on lodging house license
fees here.
The proposal was made as pub
lie hearing began before the Com
missioners on tentative redeflnitlons
of types of housing. The changes
proposed by a Special Public Hous-
ing Committee of the Commission
ers ran into strong opposition from
the realestate operators, particularly
over the term tenement house"
The committees Recommended
ton suggested that the term "tene-
ment house" be applied to all lodg-
ings which are not apartments (be-
cause they do not include baths or
kitchens exclusively for occupants)
or rooms in a rooming house (be-
cause the tenant exercises exclu-
sive control.
Bachelor Apartments Cited.
Representatives Of real estate and
multiple housing property owners
objected that bachelor apartments
without kitchens or baths and
higher type apartments in the bet
ter sections of town would be called
tenement houses" under the new
code.
Attorneys william E. Leahy, rep
Aesenting the washington Real
Estate Board, and Joseph c. McGar-
raghy, speaking for the Washing
ton Hotel Association, countered
with proposal that a small COM
mittee be named to iron out basic
difficulties" in the definitions.
AS the hearing on the definitions
began the Commissioners an
nounced that the hearing on pro-
posed fee increases has been post
pcned to October because inter-
ested persons wished to make
further study of the fees suggested
by the Special Public Housing Com
nittee. Assistant Corporation Coun-
sci Milton j. Norman is chairman
of the committee.
Term Called Unfair.
Another objection made today was
by Leon L. Sclawy. representing
the D. C. Housing Operators. Inc.
He said the word tenement" signi-
fies a cold-water fat in the public
mind and is totally unfair to per-
sons owning higher-type dwellings.
He also supported MI. Leahy and
Mr.. McGarraghy in their proposal
for a city committee to revise the
definitions.
Charles j Bauer, representing the
Washington Property Owners, also
supported the plea for committee
study and asked that cognizanee be
given to garden type apartments"
built with an eye to liveablilts
rather than to conform with con-
ventional type apartments.
Joining in the complaints OF
spokesmen for owners and operators
that the proposed new code sub
iects bachelor apartments, however
expensive, to being called tenements
were Lotion S. Wesley of the Wash
ington Restaurant Association, and
J. Crane. secretary of the Institute
of Real Estate Management. Mr.
Crane declared "sufficiency" units
for working couples, well con-
structed in newer sections of the
city because of vast demand, also
must be classed as tenements under
the proposed code.
Other Changes Proposed.
The new definitions. drawn up by
the Norman Committee after four
years study, also would:
Eleminate from hotel status some
low-rate lodging houses as well as
all hotels which do not maintain
dining rooms and kitchens.
Create another new type Of ten
ancy, convalescent homes, removing
such homes from classification as
rooming houses.
Include the one-room apartment
in the apartment house category
and make it conform to other reg
ulations.
The committees fee increases. set
forth in sliding scale with the in
spection and licensing fees higher
in every instance for the new figure
than the old, were proposed because
the District is losing more than
100000 year on supervision of
pllblic housing.