Evening star., 1951-06-22
District Rent Bill
Voted
Goes 10 House
Measure Will Allow
20% Increases Over
Level Of 1941
By Harold B. Rooers

A Senate-passed bill to extend
District rent controls for one year
to June 80, 1852. was on It's way
to the House today.
Approved late yesterday by
voice vote Of the Senate, the
measure would grant 20 per cent
increases in rents here over the
1941 level.
The bill also would place under
control, for the first time, new
housing built since 194s.
Penalties for violations of a
81 1000 fine, a year in Jail or both
are carried in the Senate bill. This
is not in the present act.
Hotels. erooming and boarding
houses would remain free of curbs.
Change on Co-operatives.
The Senate measure uoull
change the present law on CO.
operative apartments to provide
that such units were no longer
subject to control, if the pur-
chaser made a bona fide down
payment of 80 per cent of the
purchase price. Under present
law. IS per cent of tenants must
be purchasers before controls ap-
ply.
The bill, unanimously reported
earlier by the Senate District
Committee. came up on the Sem
ate floor, was explained by Sena-
tor Clements, Democrat, of Ken
lucky, but blocked temporarily by
an objection from Senator Hend-
Irlckson. Republican, of New Jer-
Isey at the request of Senator Cain.
Republican. of Washington.
Later, however, Senator Cain.
who was sitting in a session of the
Senate Armed Services Committee.
Withdrew his objection on recon-
mendation of his administrative
assistant, Irving Thomas, who ex-
planned the bill to the Senator.
Mr.. Thomas communicated Sena-
tor Gains withdrawal Of his OBJ
lection to Senator Hendrickson on
the floor, the Senate returned to
the District rent bill. and it passed
without a single objection.
The House will take up Monday
q bill recommended by its Dis
tr1ct Committee to extend city
controls for nine months with
changes somewhat different from
the Senate measure.
Also Would Grant Raise.
The House measure also would
grant the 20 per cent raise in
rents over the 1941 base. put un-
der curbs new housing since 1e48.
and exempt hotels, rooming and
boarding houses.
But 1t would not restore the
lcriminal provision to the city rent
Iact.
And it would leave the co-opera-
tive apartment controls as they
now are, providing that such units
be exempt If IS per cent of exist
ing tenants purchased apartments.
On the national level, Iegisla-
tion is pending before the Senate
for action soon to extend Federal
rent controls for only eight
months. from June 80 to March l.
next year. ihe Hous Banking
and Currency Committee has ap-
proved a bill to extend Federal
rent controls for one year.
The House District COMMITTEES
plans to la: its own District
measure for a nine-month extern
sion before the House on Monday.
II this measure goes through. the
House and Senate District meas
sures will have to go to conference
70 iron out their differences.
In the past, Congress always
has extended Federal rent con-
trolls and the separate District
rent law 10 the same new date.
It is considered likely that this
will be done again.
At any rate, sponsors of Dis
trict rent control hope Congress
WILL hnlsh action extension Of
ocal curbs in time for the Pres
Ident to sign the bill before the
sity act expires at the end of this
month,