Evening star., 1948-10-06
Capital Housing
Rent Roll Backs
Likely on Ruling
IhIder Studies Court
Action to Determine
Course of Agency

Many tenants of the National
Capital Housing Authority proper
ties may find their rents rolled back
to 1941 levels under a United States
Court of Appeals ruling. But if they
do, 1t may be only temporary.
John lhlder. executive officer Of
the housing authority, said today his
office still is studying the court rul.
ing Of September q and has not yet
decided what its course shall be.
That ruling held that the Federal
Government is subject to rent con-
troll laws just as individuals are.
Ninety days are allowed for appeal.
Robert F. Cogswell, District rent
control administrator, said, how
ever, his Office has been notified that
the housing authority plans to reg
lister all its rental units with his
Office.
Landlords May Petition.
In that event, he said, the law pro-
vides that rents would be frozen at
the January /, 1941, figure for units
which were being rented on that
date or in the prior year. The land
lord then could petition for, and
justify higher rents.
Mr.. Ihlder estimated that a con-
siderable proportion of the housing
authority's 8,126 units were rental
as at January l, 1941. OF the total
number Of units, 946 are in nearby
Maryland, the rest in the District.
Mr.. Cogsweil said there is the
possibility that the housing au--
thority could get higher rents than
its present levels If it asked for
them. This would come about If
the authority asked for rent in
creases to the levels at which COM
parable quarters are renting or to
offset repairs or improvements.
Rents for properties opened since
the freeze date generally are set
at the initial rent charged, after
which either the landlord or the
tenant may apply for an adjust.
ment.
Fixed on Cost Basis.
The housing authoritys rents are
fixed on an economic, or cost, basis.
Tenants with small incomes pay
less for similar quarters than those
with large incomes. The annual
Federal contribution, $54,094 in
fiscal 1947, and the District tax
exemption $88,337, are used to make
up the difference between what
the lowest income families pay and
the actual costs.
When a tenant reaches a net in.
come of $4,000 a year he Is sup
posed to graduate" to nonpublic
housing. Mr.. Ihlder said figures
at the end of August showed 1856
tenants had moved because they
had reached the $4,000 mark and
no longer were eligible as renters.
Pressure is being put on 534 to
move because they also had reached
the ineligible status, Mr.. Ihlder said
Part OF this pressure Is applied
by raising the rent. the new and
higher rent being set after a survey
OF costs for comparable quarters in
private ownership.
Mr.. Ihlder said rents for all the
units have been raised
in accordance with the authoritys
increased costs, with the top rents
just covering the costs.
Maryland Properties.
Concerning the authority's prop
critics in Maryland, William L
Thompson, area rent representative
for the office of the Maryland
Housing Expediter, said he has
heard nothing from Mr.. Ihlder's
office. He said no consideration has
been given to any problems arising,
If it is determined the authority's
rental units come under the rent
determinations of his Office.
He also said initial rents probably
would be whatever had been COL
lected in January, 1941, after which
his office would study comparative
data.
As examples of rents at public
housing developments, a two-bed-
room apartment at the Fort Du-
pont project ranges from SIG to
$42.50, and at the Frederick Doug
lass project, from S13 to S4O50.