Evening star., 1951-05-30
Heads0pen
Hearing Monday
On Rent Control
Commissioners Act
On Harris Request
For Full Study
By Harold B. Roaers

s S&~9y
By Harold B. Rogers
A comprehensive study Of Dis
trict rent control will be made by
the District Commissioners at a
public hearing starting 2 pm.
Monday.
The decision to hold the hear
ings was reached by the city heads
yesterday, as a congressional sub
committee completed two days Of
testimony on major revisions Of
the present law.
Representative Harris. Demo-
crat, Of Arkansas. chairman Of
the House District Subcommittee
on Rent Control, had requested
the District Commissioners to hold
hearings Of their own.
Mr.. Harris hopes for more ex-
tended testimony before the Com
than was possible at
the congressional hearings. When
the city heads complete their
study, they will present a report
to the Harris group on their find
ings.
Sweeping Changes Proposed.
Pending before the District Sub
committee is a proposed bill to
make sweeping changes in the
law. which expires on June 80. It
was presented by Rent Admins
traitor Robert F. Cogswell at the
opening session Monday.
The Cogswell measure would ex-
tend the District law to June 30.
1858. 1t also would change the
rent freeze date from its present
January /, 1941. to January / Of
this year.
A 20 per cent increase would be
granted landlords, to include prior
raises. Hotels would be recon-
trolled again. Rooming and board
ing houses would be left free for
the time being, but the admins
traitor would be given standby
power to put back curbs when the
situation justified. New construc-
ton would be controlled, and
criminal penalty reinserted in To-
cal law for rent violations.
District Commissioner F. Joseph
Donohue said the Commissioners
hearings will attempt to determine
whether or not there is a need for
continued rent control, whether
the public favors the Cogswell bill
and, If not, what kind of rent
control legislation the city should
have.
No Limit on Hearing.
The Commissioners hearing will
continue as long as necessary to
give every one who desires an op-
|portunity to present his views, Mr..
Donohue said. The sessions will
be held in the board room Of the
District Building.
Meanwhile, Representative Har-
iris has left the official record Of
the congressional hearings open
for five days to receive additional
Statements.
President Truman has asked for
national control Of rents not only
on residential, but also on COM
mercial property. There has been
no official proposal. however. to
include curbs on commercial prop.
erty here. Mr.. Cogswell testi-
fed there was not sufficient de-
mand for it. so far as he knew.
Consideration is being given to
the Presidents rent suggestions ON
both sides Of the Capitol. in the
Senate and House Banking Com
mittees. But no decision has been
reached by these groups.
During the two days hearings
by the Harris subcommittee, few
witnesses appeared in strong sup
port of additional rent control.
although some spokesmen for the
real estate interests seem to take
for granted that Congress will ex-
tend the law. They asked for
rent increases ranging from 20
to so per cent over the 1941 base.
ADA Asks Stronger Law.
The Washington Chapter Of
Americans for Democratic Action
urged Strengthening of the local
law. If this cannot be done, Clar-
ence M. Pierce, ADA treasurer.
told the subcommittee, the Dis
trict should be included in ma
tional rent-control legislation.
Mrs. Regina Chandler, colored,
owner Of apartments. complained
she had obtained only a 50 in
crease. since rent control began.
in $35-a-month apartment,
despite increased operating costs.
She replied to statements by Rufus
s. Lusk, real estate analyst, that
colored buyers were taking over
many homes here in the white
neighborhoods and white people
were moving out of the city.
TITS true my people are buying
these homes" she said, "at ex-
prices, and it's because
they have been living in rooms so
long. You will find many Of
these homes bought by colored in
white neighborhoods are being
fixed up and look better than
they did before"
Bourbon Dawes of the WASH
lngton Hotel Association promised
Representative Harris he would
look into a complaint from an
unidentified member of the House
District Committee about q large
increase in rent Of a prominent
hotel apartment building. Mr..
Harris said the rent was increased.
since the place was decontrolled.
rom $165 to $235 a month for
living room. bedroom, kitchen and
path.