Evening star., 1950-02-23
VirginiansP|ead
For Local Option
ntContro|s
Developer Doubts
Sharp Increase
After DecontroI

Pressure built up today In
Northern Virginia for the extern
sion of rent control on a local
option basis.
Appeals were made both in
Richmond and Washington for
legislation which would permit
cities and counties to be declared
emergency areas and thus qualify
for some form of control.
There was no assurance, how
ever, that such laws would pass.
Controls to End June 25
Under terms of a bill passed by
the Virginia General Assembly
all rent control in the State will
be abolished June 25. To become
law, the bill needs only the sigma
ture of Gov. Battle, and this is
expected within few days.
Meanwhile, anxious tenants re-
ceived an encouraging word to-
day from a leading builder and
developer of housing projects.
Gustave Ring, owner of Colonial
Village and Arlington Village
predicted that in year average
rents will be lower.
I'D be surprised" he said, "it
rents in the nearby Virginia area
went up as much as S per cent
after decontrol. In fact, I'd bet
that in a year the average will
be down from what it is now. In
some spots it might go up, but
in general I think rates will be
lower"
Cites Building Volume.
Mr.. Ring said this prediction
is based upon the volume of new
building. He said some of the
older housing developments may
increase rentals because of a war;
time freeze of low rates.
Mr.. Ring said he plans to
maintain present rents at Co.
lonial Village, which has 1,100
units, and Arlington Village, which
has 665. He said, however, tele-
phone charges will be raised to
meet higher costs.
1. Chance Buchanan, director of
the Alexandria Arlington Defense
Rental Area, thought it problem
atical' what property owners will
do. if and when all controls are
removed.
Some Increases Expected.
"It stands to reason" Mr.. Bu-
chanan said, &that some increases
can be expected. Otherwise, there
would have been no agitation for
decontrol.'
T. C. Campbell, manager of the
Parkfairfax development, Alexan-
dria, said no decision has been
reached on rentals in the 1851
units he supervises. The decision,
he said, will be made by the Met
ropolitan Life Insurance Co., the
owners.
William A. Zieglar, who han-
ages the 3,439-unit darlington
development, said there are no
plans yet for rental changes.
May Thin Out Families
Mr.. Zieglar said. however, that
some effort may be expected to
thin out families considered too
large for the one and two
bedroom units. Most of these are
long time residents. The crowd
ing problem resulted from the
birth of children after the par
ents moved in.
Mr.. Zieglar said the manage
ment desires not to work hard
ships on these occupants but that
it neeos to protect its investment
by redl eing the drag on utility
services and rental values caused
by overo rowding.
Officials at the Buckingham and
Bancroft developments in Airing
ton said no plans have been FORM
ulated so far for rent increases
Housing units built since Feb
ruary l, 1947, have been under no
rent control. The older develop
ments in the Northern Virginia
area where controls apply have
more than $4,000 units, according
to Mr.. Buchanan. Most of these
are in the Arlington alexandria,
Fairfax area. A relatively small
number are in the Dumfries Magis-
terial District of Prince William
which includes Quantico. Mr..
Buchanan's office also directed
controls in the Front Royal area.
Delegates Seek Action.
Arlington Delegates j. Maynard
Magruder and George Damn
pressed for action at Richmond
on the local option bill they in
troduced last week.
When the Assembly refused tc
exempt Northern Virginia from
the Statewide decontrol law, the
Arlington House members pro-
posed that individual communities
be authorized to seek protection
through the Governor. Under this
plan the governing body of a city
or town would ask the Governor
to declare that a housing emer.
gency exists. If that were done
the community then would be
eligible for local rent control.
Daniel A. Dugan, chairman oI
the Arlington County Board, ap.
pealed directly to President Tru.
man for help. He asked that the
administration sponsor Fedora
legislation on local option control
z Speech Education