Evening star., 1952-09-05
AZ Montgomery
Vacancies Noted
In Rental Survey
$3.50 Units Checked
In Study to Determine
Need forNew Controls
By ChorIes [. Hoffman


By ChorIes [. Hoffman
A survey Of rental housing in
Montgomery County turned UP
only 49 vacancies in $3.50 units
checked, according to a report re-
leased by the County Council
yesterday. Most vacancies were in
the top rental ranges.
The survey was made by
the Office of Rent Sterilization
through its area headquarters al
Silver Spring.
The County Council wanted the
information for consideration ir
the coming decision on whether
or not rent control should be
continued in the unincorporated
areas of the county.
Only S Under SIPS.
OF the 49 vacancies reported
only five rented for less than $125
a month. Seventeen were in the
S125-to-$174 bracket and IL others
in the $175-to-$224 range. The
remainder rent for $225 or more
a month,
The council will hold a public
hearing at 8 pm. Monday at the
courthouse in Rockville on the
rent-control issue. If the council
dicides there is no critical housing
shortage in the unincorporatec
areas, Federal rent controls will
die September 80.
The rent Office surveyed Is Of
the major apartment develop
ments in the county which have
4.192 units.
Only one of the developments
Pooks Hill, a luxury-type unit of
Rockville pike. reported any
vacancies. The apartment agent
reported six vacancies and the
rent office said they were in the
$250-a-month rent range.
The Piney Branch apartments
in Silver Spring reported wait
ing list of applicants which would
keep its 214 units occupied fol
five years.
Long Waiting List.
Another apartment develop
ment, Falkland, said it had
200 to 300 on a waiting list. The
Falkland has 485 units.
A check of real estate agents WHIT
control 1923 units showed only
"a vacancies. The list was mad,
up by the area rent office am
approved by c. r. Graham, presi.
dent of the county real estat'
board.
The survey group. headed by
B. w. Diggle. also checked renta
ads in Washington newspapers fol
a seven-day period.
OF the 110 manipulated unit
advertised for rent, so alread.
were rented by the time the own.
ers were contacted by the surve!
group. Only 10 were available ant
vacant.
The survey group found no on
and two room apartments and onl!
one three-room unit which rentet
for $125 a month.
One four-room vacancy was dis
covered. The remainder, none o
which rented for less than $75 /;
month, had five or more room
each.
Suitable Rentals Unavailable.
The group also contacted Al O
81 persons who advertised fol
rental units. Twenty-four of then
had been unable to find suitabl,
apartments or houses.
In comparing the supply and
demand the rent Office found that
there were 46 units available al
rents above $110 a month COM
pared with five demands. Nine
teen Of the "a apartment seekers
were seeking housing accommoda-
tions at lower rents, but only three
such units were available.
The report differs strongly with
claims of the real estate board
and a number of commerce asso-
Citations in the county which have
claimed there was no shortage OF
housing.
Part Of the difference can be
attributed, however, to the mean
ing of available housing. The
council has said it would consider
only rental housing at the hearing
Monday.
The real estate board contends
the large number of houses up for
sale. must be considered in deter
mining the existence or lack of q
shortage.