Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-24
Owners Oppose
Rule
On Managers
Soy Requirement
Would Ruise Rents,
lmperil Construction
BY JAMES G. DEANE

By JAMES G. DEANE
Apartment house owners and
managers today strongly opposed
a move by District licensing Of
ficials to require that q resident
manager or other responsible
person" live in or near every
building with i've or more apart
ment units.
Real estate spokesman said
such a rule would raise rents,
threaten new apartment build
ing construction and serve no
useful purpose.
. Opponents of the proposed
regulation heavily outnumbered
its supporters at q public hear
ing before the District Commits
sioners.
This was the only provision
of set Of new apartment house
regulations which brought much
controversy. however. The Dis
trict already has a regulation
empowering the Commissioners
to require a responsible agent
to live in apartment buildings
when the Commissioners decide
this is necessary. but the rule
Is seldom enforced.
Wants Blanket Rule
J. J. Ilgenfritz. deputy director
Iof the Department of Licenses
and Inspections, said his depart
ment wants q blanket require
ment as an aid in enforcement
OF health and housing standards.
The proposed rule. specifically
calls for q resident manager,
housekeeper or ''other respon-
sible person" in each building
with five or more units. ON
Gals have indicated an owner
could designate Q tenant as the
responsible person II he wanted.
Mrs. Helen Dewey Hoffman
of the American Association of
University Women and John
Ihlder Of the Georgetown Citi-
zens Association. backed Mr..
Ilgenfritz' stand.
Mr.. Ihlder suggested reducing
the number Of apartment units
for which q responsible person
would be required to three Mrs.
Hoffman called the provision Of
10 responsible person the only
way to maintain safety and san
|itation."
Half q dozen Spokesman for
business and real estate organ
izations lined up against the
change.
Hits Proposal
Norman Glasgow Of the WASH
ington Board Of Trade declared
|it would accomplish nothing.
I'VE don't want a middle man
IN the picture" he said.
George Linkins Of the Build
ing Owners and Managers Asso-
citation Of Metropolitan WASH
ington called the proposed
regulation silly" II 1t means
assigning q free apartment to q
resident manager 1t might raise
rents up to Is per cent, he said.
He suggested simply posting q
notice In the hall Of the tele-
phone number Of the agent OF
owner
Harvey F. Humphrey anc
David Dreyfuss of the Washing.
ton Real Estate Board said the
rule would raise costs and that
the burden would be borne BY
tenants.
Mr.. Dreyfuss said building
managers are anxious to GET
necessary repairs done and the
new rule wouldn't make this any
easier.
Leo F. Diegelmann of the Cen.
trail Business Association also op-
posed the change, as lid Mrs
Ethel F. Mitchell, manager Of
apartments at 1885 Nicholson
street NV. and l40l 0g,ethcrpt
street NV.
Sees No Need for Rule
Mrs. Mitchell said she couldnr
imagine what a resident man.
lager in any building Of less thar
80 units could do to justify hav.
ing a free apartment or a salary
Edward J. Reamer, another
apartment building owner. callet
the proposed rule ridiculous.
Charles A. Horsky. presiden,
Of the Washington Housing As.
ISOLATION. said 1t was all right Il
have some responsible person
DESIGNATED for an apartment
building, but he said he didnr
see why the person should b
required to live on or near tn,
building. Mr.. Igenfritz testified
his department wanted to hav,
the responsible person no farther
away than q block.
4 Mr.. Horsky asked for SOM
stiffening OF prosecution provi
sions in the suggested regula,
tons. This was opposed by othel
witnesses.
- I.