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[PUBLIC LAW 827-81ST CONGRESS]

[CHAPTER 1007-2D SESSION]

[H. R. 8458]

AN ACT

Authorizing the Housing and Home Finance Administrator to release the trustees of Columbia University, in the city of New York, and the Citizens' Veterans Homes Association of Rockland County, Incorporated, from obligations under their contracts for operation of veterans' temporary housing project, NY-V30212.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the Housing and Home Finance Administrator is authorized and directed

(a) upon the request of the trustees of Columbia University, in the city of New York, to release said trustees from any and all Covenants and obligations under contract numbered HA (V-30212) mph 20, dated August 1, 1946, entered into between said trustees and the Federal Public Housing Authority, and all amendments thereto; and

(b) upon the request of the Citizens' Veterans Homes Association of Rockland County, Incorporated, a nonprofit corporation, to release said corporation from any and all covenants and obligations under contract numbered HA (VN-30293) mph 1, dated March 14, 1947, entered into between said corporation and the Federal Public Housing Authority, and all amendments thereto; both of which contracts are in connection with the operation of veterans' temporary housing project numbered NY-V-30212, known as Shanks Village and located in Rockland County, New York: Provided, That the said trustees or the said corporation, as the case may be, release the United States from any and all liability under their respective contracts and return to the United States title to any buildings, equipment, or other property which may have passed to the said trustees or the said corporation under their contracts: And provided further, That payments, if any, to which the United States may be entitled on the basis of periodic settlements under the contracts, shall continue to accrue to the end of the month in which the release by the Administrator is made and settlement therefor shall be made by the said trustees or the said corporation, as the case may be, within sixty days after such release.

Approved September 23, 1950.

(381)

[PUBLIC LAW 880-81ST CONGRESS]
[CHAPTER 1139-2D SESSION]

[8. J. Res. 207]

JOINT RESOLUTION

To continue for a temporary period certain provisions of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 204 (f) of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is hereby amended by striking out "December 31, 1950" in each place it occurs therein and inserting in lieu thereof "March 31, 1951".

SEC. 2. Section 204 (j) (3) of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is hereby amended by inserting before the period at the end thereof a colon and the following: "Provided further, That as used in this Act the term 'resolution' shall not be construed to be limited to ordinances or other legislative acts, and any resolution heretofore adopted by any local governing body is hereby declared to be effective for the purpose of this section 204 (j) (3) or section 204 (f) (1), whether or not such resolution was legislative in character; and no suit or action shall be brought under section 205 of this Act, or any other provision of law, on the basis of any administrative decision or the decision of any court that the resolution described in this Act must be a legislative Act",

Approved December 20, 1950.

(382)

[PUBLIC LAW 327-77TH CONGRESS]

[CHAPTER 553-1ST SESSION]

[H. R. 5890]

AN ACT

To regulate rents in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PURPOSES, TIME LIMIT.-(a) It is hereby found that the national emergency and the national-defense program (1) have aggravated the congested situation with regard to housing accommodations existing at the seat of government; (2) have led or will lead to profiteering and other speculative and manipulative practices by some owners of housing accommodations; (3) have rendered or will render ineffective the normal operations of a free market in housing accommodations; and (4) are making it increasingly difficult for persons whose duties or obligations require them to live or work in the District of Columbia to obtain such accommodations. Whereupon it is the purpose of this Act and the policy of the Congress during the existing emergency to prevent undue rent increases and any other practices relating to housing accommodations in the District of Columbia which may tend to increase the cost of living or otherwise impede the national-defense program.

(b) The provisions of this Act, and all regulations, orders, and requirements thereunder, shall terminate on December 31, 1945; except that as to offenses committed, or rights or liabilities incurred, prior to such expiration date, the provisions of this Act and such regulations, orders, and requirements, shall be treated as still remaining in force for the purpose of sustaining any proper suit, action, or prosecution with respect to any such right, liability, or offense.

SEC. 2. MAXIMUM RENT CEILINGS AND MINIMUM SERVICE STANDARDS.-(1) On and after the thirtieth day following the enactment of this Act, subject to such adjustments as may be made pursuant to sections 3 and 4, maximum-rent ceilings and minimum-service standards for housing accommodations excluding hotels, in the District of Columbia shall be the following:

(a) For housing accommodations rented on January 1, 1941, the rent and service to which the landlord and tenant were entitled on that date.

(b) For housing accommodations not rented on January 1, 1941, but which had been rented within the year ending on that date, the rent and service to which the landlord and tenant were last entitled within such year.

(c) For housing accommodations not rented on January 1, 1941, nor within the year ending on that date, the rent and service generally prevailing for comparable housing accommodations as determined by the Administrator.

(2) On and after the thirtieth day following the enactment of this Act, the landlord or other person in charge of and conducting any hotel in the District of Columbia shall post in a conspicuous place in each room thereof used for living or dwelling purposes, a card or sign plainly stating the rental rate per day of such room, and a copy of such rates for each room shall be filed with the Administrator. Subject to such adjustment as the Administrator may determine to be necessary in order that said rates shall conform to the standard set forth in this section and to such adjustment as may be made pursuant to sections 3 and 4, said rates when posted and filed with the Administrator, shall constitute the maximum-rent ceiling for the housing accommodations specified: Provided, That the transient rates so posted shall not exceed the established or standard rate charged by the landlord as of January 1, 1941, except that after written notice by the landlord to the Administrator such landlord may make such addition or deduction to or from such rate as will compensate for (1) a substantial change since January 1, 1941, in maintenance or operating costs or expenses, or (2) a substantial capital improvement or alteration made since January 1, 1941, and such addition or deduction shall be subject to review by the Administrator, and he may by order adjust such maximum-rent ceiling to provide the rental rate generally prevailing for comparable housing accommodations as determined by the Administrator. Posted rates shall conform to the following:

(a) In the case of apartment units, the rental rate shall be that which the landlord was entitled to receive on January 1, 1941, except in those instances where it is shown that a special rate less than the established or standard rate charged by the landlord as of January 1, 1941, was being charged, a rate may be posted at such established or standard rate: Provided, That the rate being charged the current occupant shall not be increased.

(b) Where apartment units are changed from furnished to unfurnished, or vice versa, the rate shall be that charged by the landlord for comparable housing accommodations on January 1, 1941: Provided, That no such change may be made without the consent of the current occupant, if there be one.

(c) Where housing accommodations are changed from permanent to transient use, the rate shall not exceed that posted for comparable accommodations.

(d) In the case of a hotel not in operation January 1, 1941, the rental rates posted shall be the rates generally prevailing for comparable housing accommodations.

(e) For the purposes of this section, the term "hotel" means an establishment operating under a hotel license and having in excess of fifty rooms used predominately for transient occupancy, that is, for living quarters for nonresidents upon a short-time basis.

SEC. 3. GENERAL ADJUSTMENT OF MAXIMUM RENT CEILINGS.-Whenever in the judgment of the Administrator a general increase or decrease since January 1, 1941, in taxes or other maintenance or operating costs or expenses has occurred or is about to occur in such manner and amount as substantially to affect the maintenance and operation of housing accommodations generally or of any particular class of housing accommodations, he may by regulation or order increase or decrease the maximum-rent ceiling or minimum-service standard, or

both, for such accommodations or class thereof in such manner or amount as will in his judgment compensate, in whole or in part, for such general increase or decrease. Thereupon such adjusted ceiling or standard shall be the maximum-rent ceiling or minimum-service standard for the housing accommodations subject thereto.

SEC. 4. PETITION FOR ADJUSTMENT. (a) Any landlord or tenant may petition the Administrator to adjust the maximum-rent ceiling applicable to his housing accommodations on the ground that such maximum-rent ceiling is, due to peculiar circumstances affecting such housing accommodations, substantially higher or lower than the rent generally prevailing for comparable housing accommodations; whereupon the Administrator may by order adjust such maximum-rent ceiling to provide the rent generally prevailing for comparable housing accommodations as determined by the Administrator.

(b) Any landlord may petition the Administrator to adjust the maximum-rent ceiling or minimum-service standard, or both, applicable to his housing accommodations to compensate for (1) a substantial rise, since January 1, 1941, in taxes or other maintenance or operating costs or expenses, or (2) a substantial capital improvement or alteration made since January 1, 1941; whereupon the Administrator may by order adjust such maximum-rent ceiling or minimum-service standard in such manner or amount as he deems proper to compensate therefor, in whole or in part, if he finds such adjustment necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Act: Provided, That no such adjusted maximum-rent ceiling or minimum-service standard shall permit the receipt of rent in excess of the rent generally prevailing for comparable housing accommodations as determined by the Adminis

trator.

(c) Any tenant may petition the Administrator on the ground that the service supplied to him is less than the service established by the minimum-service standard for his housing accommodations, but in the case of a hotel, is less than the established or standard service supplied as of January 1, 1941; whereupon the Administrator may order that the service be maintained at such minimum-service standard, or that the maximum-rent ceiling be decreased to compensate for a reduction in service, as he deems necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Act.

(d) Any landlord may petition the Administrator for permission to reduce the service supplied by him in connection with any housing accommodations; whereupon the Administrator, if he determines that the reduction of such services is to be made in good faith for valid business reasons and is not inconsistent with carrying out the purposes of this Act, may, by order, reduce the minimum-service standard applicable to such housing accommodations and adjust the maximum-rent ceiling downward in such amount as he deems proper to compensate therefor.

(e) Any tenant may petition the Administrator to adjust the maximum-rent ceiling applicable to his housing accommodations on the ground that such maximum-rent ceiling permits the receipt of an unduly high rent; whereupon the Administrator may by order adjust such maximum-rent ceiling in such manner or amount as shall, in his judgment, effectuate the purposes of this Act and provide a fair and reasonable rent for such housing accommodations.

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