Evening star., 1949-03-17
Co-opsAttacked
And Defended
Al Rent Heariinq
Senute Subcommittee
Gets Varied Views
From 20 Witnesses

From 20 Witnesses
Cooperative apartment projects
were attacked and defended today
at a Senate District Subcommittee
hearing where wide range of
pro and con testimony on extern
sion of District rent control was
heard.
Testimony came from nearly 20
witnesses, about equally divided
for and against the extension of
rent control here. The present
act expires at the end of this
month.
Chairman Frear said the sub
committee would await action now
scheduled for next Monday by the
House on bill which would ex-
tend District controls. with some
amendments, to June 80 next year
Conclusions of his subcommit-
tee. the Delaware lawmaker said,
would not be reached until after
the House-passed bill is in subj
committee hands. He hopes. how
ever, to prepare report with rec
concentrations to submit to the
full Senate District Committee for
action next Tuesday.
Attacked by Gen. Smith.
The cooperative apartment
projects which came up first in
lively debate at the subcommittee
hearing yesterday were attacked
today by Brig. Gen. Edward w.
Smith. U. S. A.. retired.
Representing % tenants at 2153
California street NV, Gen. Smith
said they have been under
threat" of the building being
turned into cooperative owner
ship. He asked for approval of a
provision in the pending House
bill to ban eviction of tenants who
refuse to buy apartments unless
IS per cent of the tenants are
owners.
Mrs. Virginia V. Finks and Mrs.
Arthur R. Smith defended the
Broadmoor Apartment Co-opera-
tive. Mrs. Smith said that such
projects are less expensive than
home ownership and that for
young couples starting married
life and older people who no
longer want a large home. Coop
eratlve apartments were prac-
tical.
Asks Veteran Exception.
Francis j. Ortman, counsel for
the Veterans Cooperative HouS-
ing Association, asked for an
amendment to any rent extension
act exempting all nonproflt vet
Grams cooperative housing asSo-
Citations from controls when 95
per cent of the membership con-
slsts of veterans or servicemen
on active duty. ...t.1L -
Other witnesses were:
j. M. De w. Kyle. president
of the Capitol Rooming and
Building House Association, asked
that lodging and rooming houses
be exempted.
Harold H. Davis of Thomas Cir
Gle Citizens Association charged
there was no reason for rent con-
troll extension because of the large
number of vacant rooms.
Paul Clohan, 3411 Twenty
ninth street NV. defended the
cooperative apartment there, de-
claring if restrictions against CO.
operatives in pending House bill
became law. it would cast cloud
over my investment.
Longer Extension Urged.
Kenneth Clarke, executive Sec
retary of the Progressive Party of
the District, and Miss Kate
Alfriend, Washington Chapter
Americans for Democratic Action,
recommended rent control extern
sion for at least two years.
Mrs. Charlotte Sillers of the
Women's Auxiliary, United Public
Workers, CIO. asked rent control
extension until adequate rental
housing is constructed here.
e. M. Peterson, II, urged aban-
donment of rent control on behalf
of what he said was an "old group
trying to keep off an old age pen
sion" by running rooming houses.
George Papanicolas, owner of
Cathedral Courts at Massachu-
setts and Wisconsin avenues NV,
recommended an end to District
controls, claiming he made only
per cent return on the apart
ment house on an investment of
about 100000.
Local Option" Asked.
A new proposal was injected
into the controversy during yes
terday's hearing, when spokes-
man for the Washington Real
Estate Board asked that the Dis
trict Commissioners be given
authority to terminate controls
when they see fit.
This so-called local option"
proviso would place the District
on a par with the rest of the coun-
try, the witness. Raymond Taylor,
Real Estate Board president
told the subcommittee.
He pointed out that the House
had written into the rent eX-
tension bill for the Nation the
right of localities to terminate
controls, despite extended Federal
rent control.
Young for Commissioner