HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

COMMITTEES ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES

SIXTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

ON

S. 3764

A BILL TO CREATE AND ESTABLISH A COMMISSION, AS AN
INDEPENDENT ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, TO REGULATE RENTS IN
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

RENT COMMISSION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1925

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES,

JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

Washington, D. C.

The joint subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 9.30 o'clock

a. m., in the room of the Committee on the District of Columbia.

Capitol, Senator L. Heisler Ball presiding.

Present: Senators Ball (chairman), Jones of Washington, and

Copeland.

Present also: Representatives Lampert, Hammer, Stalker, and

Blanton.

Present also: Richard S. Whaley (chairman), William F. Gude,

Oliver Metzerott, and Thomas E. Peeney, members of the Rent Com-

mission; and William T. Sabine, secretary.

Present also: Former Senator Thomas P. Gore.

The joint subcommittee had under consideration S. 3764, a bill to

create and establish a commission, as an independent establishment

of the Federal Government, to regulate rents in the District of

Columbia.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. We have

asked that the members of the Rent Commission come before us this
morning to give what information they can relative to conditions in
the District of Columbia. We has also asked the tax assessor of
the district, William P. Richards, to be present.

First and personally I would like to have in as concrete form
as possible a statement of the assessed value of many of the buildings
that have been involved in appeals to the Rent Commission in the
last year, the valuation which the owners place upon those build-
ings, and if possible the cost of the buildings together with the
amounts of the trusts now on them, the rents which the commission
have allowed for those buildings or apartments, the rents asked
by the manager or owner of the apartment previous to the fixing of
the rents by the Rent Commission; if possible the overhead expenses,
and lastly what policy the Rent Commission has adopted as to allow-
ing rents and the percentage or net allowance which has been made
to the owners or managers of such buildings.

I think it would be better to have Mr. Whaley, chairman of the

Rent Commission, give us that information as far as possible first

and then we will call on Assessor Richards to give us now or send

us later data connected with what Mr. Whaley may have to say.

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