G. Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. (1) The chief, Ohio Military District, reports rent increases of 15 percent or more in various cities and towns throughout Ohio, where rents have been decontrolled or new construction completed. HEADQUARTERS THIRD ARMY, Fort McPherson, Ga., March 4, 1951. Subject: Report of rent increases near military reservations-report control symbol CSGJA-(OT)–262 A. Vicinity Fort Bragg, N. C. (1) Housing situation in Fort Bragg vicinity is extremely critical and it is contemplated it will become worse. (2) Rent of uncontrolled units built since February 1947 range from 50 percent to 75 percent greater than rent of similar facilities which are controlled. B. Vicinity of Camp Rucker, Ala. (2) Comparison of rentals within 30 miles of Camp Rucker and comparable accommodations 45 miles distant establishes that rents have increased 100 percent on the average, due to increased military activities. (3) Specific examples include: (a) Two-family house-civilian still pays $60 per month, military family pays $125 per month. (b) Present rent $80 per month, camparable accommodation, 50 miles distance, $40 per month. (c) Present rent $65 per month versus $25 per month, 50 miles distant. (d) Present rent $35 per month-prior to activation Camp Rucker was $10 per month. E. Vicinity of Fort McClellan, Ala. (1) One-bedroom apartments, 25 percent increased; two-bedroom apartments, 20 percent increased; three-bedroom apartments, 12 percent increased. (2) Quarters rented from individual sources increased a minimum of 35 to 40 percent. One instance indicated a duplex which was renting for $17.50 unfurnished increased to $35 (location and condition extremely undesirable). Other cases are indicated in which competitive bidding for quarters have taken place. (3) In the opinion of local chamber of commerce (Anniston, Ala.), prices will materially increase unless controlled. G. Vicinity of Atlanta General Depot, Atlanta, Ga. (1) Data obtained from personnel employed by this depot reported a total increase of 18 percent in rentals during the last 3-month period. H. Vicinity of Fort Benning, Ga. (2) As a result of 1,400 military personnel renting civilian housing, it is estimated that 2.5 percent of rents have been raised in adjacent civilian communities as a result of decontrol and increased activities. The average increase in rental is 15 percent, with the larger increase in the lower-rental class. 串 * * * * (4 Considerable numbers of private homes have been made apartments and bedrooms available for rent. Rent on approximately 25 percent of units of this type has been increased in past 6 weeks. I. Vicinity of Camp Stewart, Ga. (1) In general, rents have jumped from a minimum of 50 percent to a maximum of over 250 percent. (a) Four-room dwelling now occupied by a member of this command rents at $100 per month, which formerly rented for $40 per month. (b) A master sergeant occupying a small four-room house pays $35 per month, which formerly rented at $15 per month. (c) Staff sergeant renting house at $40 per month formerly paid $15 per month-at McIntosh, Ga. (d) Sergeant occupying one furnished room at $45 per month, while landlord pays $30 per month for house. (e) Colored soldier paying $14 per month for a house, which formerly rented for $5 per month. (f) Corporal and wife rent furnished room, no kitchen privileges, share bath and pay $40 per month, while landlord pays $30 per month for house. (g) Sergeant has furnished room sharing bath, no kitchen privileges, pays $48 per month, while landlord pays $32.50 for house. (h) Sergeant who has furnished room, no kitchen privileges, shares bath, pays $40 per month, and landlord pays $30 per month. HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY, Fort Sam Houston, Tex. Army and Navy General Hospital, Hot Springs, Ark. Total personnel renting off post--- 291 Number having increase in rent during past 6 months--- 33 11.2 Average rent increase (month)__ $11.00 Personnel in lower three enlisted grades received majority of rent increases. Fort Sill, Okla. Following information submitted on rent increases Fort Sill area result of decontrol and increased activities: Number of rental units surveyed___. Total amount of monthly rent paid under rent control__ Total amount of monthly rent during January 1951_--- Total amount of increase per month since removal of ceiling. 770 $33,053.95 $42,319.75 $9,265.80 22 Above amounts compiled from only statistics available from properties rented under OPA. Average rent on new properties much higher. Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arsenal, Ark. Rent control in the city of Pine Bluff and Vaugine Township, the principal housing area for Pine Bluff Arsenal employees, has not been decontrolled. The Pine Bluff Rent Advisory Board on February 23 unanimously voted a resolution recommending an extension of rent controls until June 30, 1952, and a resolution to bring back under control units which have been decontrolled. It is understood from the mayor of Pine Bluff that action will be taken by the city council to extend rent control to June 30 maximum under existing law. There have been 45 structures decontrolled due to conversion. In each instance a very substantial increase in rent ranging from 100 to 300 percent has resulted. In one instance apartments renting for $20 were increased to $60; from $30 to $60. A house renting for $25 was converted to produce two units renting for $60 each, or $120 for the building. A survey of the rental property in Pine Bluff indicates that there are no four-, five-, and six-room units available. There are, however, a substantial number of two- and three-room improvised units provided under the HOLC plan during 1943 and 1944 renting from $32.50 to $37.50. The increase in personnel requirements at Pine Bluff Arsenal will be very substantial. The housing shortage very critical. If rents are decontrolled, it is believed that a minimum of 100-percent increase in rental rates are to be expected for medium- and low-type housing. Fort Hood, Tex. In the 812 units occupied, there is so much variation in rents and types of housing that it makes it impossible to determine which rent is more reasonable. The demand for housing is greatest in Killeen, which is only 3 miles distant. It is noted that in the majority of cases the rent paid per unit is above that shown for other towns. Camp Polk, La. Allendale housing project: A 50-percent increase on the two-bedroom unfurnished units and slightly over 46 percent on the three-bedroom units. The twobedroom furnished units which were rented for $60 on September 1, 1950, have been increased 16% percent. The three-bedroom furnished units were increased 20 percent. De Ridder, La., a town with a population of 5,776 according to 1950 census, is approximately 21 miles from camp headquarters and has one housing project. De Ridder Housing Corp.: This housing project has 150 units with 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms and are rented unfurnished. Approximately 90 units are rented to military personnel. Prior to August 1, 1950, these units rented for $34, $36, and $39 per month, respectively. Their present rental to tenants moving in since October 1950 is $40, $46.50, and $56.50, respectively, or an over-all rent increase of 31 percent. In the towns of Leesville and De Ridder and surrounding territory, there have been several cases of rent considered to be excessive. Subject: Rent control. HEADQUARTERS, FIFTH ARMY, Chicago, Ill. Rental rates in the neighborhood of Cornhusker Ordnânce Plant, Grand Island, Nebr., indicate an increase of 40 to 50 percent. Average rent increase in the vicinity of Sioux Ordnance Depot, 60 percent-some rare cases as high as 100 percent. Generally speaking, rents were increased in all areas of the State, except in the smaller communities. Rent rises were noticeable in the city of Omaha. Milwaukee, Wis., rent increased approximately 12 percent. Fond Du Lac, Wis., rentals expected to increase 10 percent or more after March 1, 1951. Racine, Wis., rentals generally increased 25 to 40 percent. Green Bay, Wis., generally steady with approximately 5 to 10 percent increase. HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY, Presidio of San Francisco, Calif., March 2, 1951. Subject: Extension Federal rent control (reports control symbol GSGPA-(OT)– 262). * 2. In compliance with the above references, information relative rents in the vicinity of 26 military installations in this Army area is enclosed herewith. Rental increase Increases to 15 percent. In decontrolled areas rents increased from 50 to 150 percent over controlled areas. 25-percent increase. Still under rent control; 4- to 25-percent increases. 10 percent in Reno area and 20 percent in 25 to 37 percent quoted by Vancouver 716 to 15-percent increase. Solano County, 25-percent increase; Mar- 36 percent quoted by employees; 20 to 50 No rent decontrol. Increases on uncon- NAVY REPORT-RENT CONTROL DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, From: Chief of Naval Operations B. M. Venable, Colonel, USAF, Executive, 1. Implementing your memorandum of February 16, 1951, to the Chief of Naval Operations, with enclosed correspondence, the attached summary of rent increases affecting Navy installations, following rent decontrol, is forwarded. It is suggested that this information be regarded as outlining the Navy experience in this matter, inasmuch as the Secretary of the Air Force has been designated to act for the Department of Defense in presenting testimony at congressional hearing on rent control. It is understood that hearings before the Senate and House Banking and Currency Committees are likely to be held the latter part of March. 2. Further reference is made to the position taken by the Secretary of the Navy in his memorandum to the Secretary of Defense of February 14, 1951, that the Department of the Navy, as it has in the past, strongly favors rent control. This is particularly so at this time in view of the increased numbers of service personnel concentrated at our seaports and shipbuilding yards. 3. The data reported in the attached summary leads to the conclusion that continued rent control is necessary in some areas, but that the Housing Expediter should continue to have the authority to decontrol where the control is no longer necessary. It is also apparent that some areas already decontrolled need not have rent control reimposed, as rents since removal of control have increased within acceptable limits. Review of the experiences of local commands in localities where controls have been removed leads to the conclusion that rent control should be selective in application, and that an extended bill should contain authority for the Housing Expediter to impose control where needed, and to decontrol where possible. H. W. TURNEY, RENT INCREASES NEAR NAVY INSTALLATIONS FOLLOWING DECONTROLLING First Naval District Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Third Naval District Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Fourth Naval District Delaware, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. No actual experience of hardships as a result of decontrol of rents has been encountered by naval personnel in the above 11 States, inasmuch as key centers and locations of naval installations have remained under rent control. It is reported, however, that rentals in new housing constructed since July 1, 1947, exempt from rent control, have been in most cases exceedingly high. Personnel attached to the Naval Supply Depot, Mechanicsburg, Pa., report that rents rose up to 75 percent following decontrol; no actual instances are supplied. Fifth Naval District Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. A survey by the district commandant of 4,936 rental units in the Norfolk, Va., area disclosed an over-all average rent increase of 6 percent from the period of rent control prior to April 1, 1950, to March 1, 1951. This survey covered Norfolk City, Portsmouth, Newport News, outlying Norfolk County, Princess Ann County, and other outlying locations. The Commandant, Marine Corps, reports a critical rental housing situation in the vicinity of the Marine Corps schools, Quantico, Va. A survey of 1,078 military families in this vicinity discloses extremely high rents for a poor average of accommodations, both during and subsequent to rent control. The observations of Commandant, Marine Corps, are quoted below: "A mere comparison of average rentals paid by the various grades of military personnel does not give the true picture. In order to more thoroughly understand the problem, it is necessary to understand what kind of rental units are involved. With the exception of Washington, Alexandria, and possibly Fredericksburg, these 11 communities are small, and in several instances lack the facilities that make common, wholesome, decent home life. "The main problem at Quantico is not so much that rental increases have been affected by decontrol, but that the process of supply and demand has resulted in an exaggerated high scale of rental in terms of facilities offered both prior to and subsequent to rent control. Until the severe housing shortage in this area is alleviated, there would appear to be no satisfactory solution to the problem of high rent and inadequate facilities afforded for rental. "Simply extending the present Federal Rent Control Act would be only a partial solution to the problem around Marine Corps installations inasmuch as so much of the returnable property has never come within the scope of the original Rent Control Act, either because it is new construction or conversion." The commander, Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Va., reports a rise in rentals since decontrol of about 25 percent in Fredericksburg. Sixth Naval District Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The district commandant reports as follows: Since decontrol, 15 to 25 percent rent increases on units renting from $50 to $100 per month, no appreciable change on lowerpriced units. Jacksonville, Fla.: Rent increases following decontrol of 15 to 35 percent. Miami, Fla.: Rent control or decontrol reported to be no problem, as sufficient Navy housing is available for military personnel. Other key centers of population near Navy installations remain under control. Eighth Naval District Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Information obtained on activities within the Eighth Naval District, reflecting changes in rents brought about by decontrol, show the following for the State of Texas, which is the only State affected: Orange, Tex.: (1) 900 Government-owned units have had no rent increases. (2) 1,582-unit project privately owned (previously Government owned) has effected 8 percent rent increase since decontrol with no increase since July 1950. (3) On approximately 60 rent houses surveyed in the better residential sections, 22 percent increase since decontrol and no increase since July 1950 were found. (4) City of Orange Housing Authority survey conducted in May 1950, showed average monthly rental of $43.54 for a standard two-bedroom unfurnished unit. Corpus Christi, Tex.: (1) Survey of limited number of rental units in Corpus Christi area indicate local rents have risen about 7 percent since controls were removed. (2) Present new Federal housing rental units available to Navy personnel average $76 per month. (3) Rents over $100 per month occasionally show some decrease. (4) Rents of $60 to $90 have been rather stable while rents formerly below $60 have generally increased. (5) Examples: Five-room furnished house formerly $125 decreased to $100. Four-room furnished apartment formerly $55 increased to $67.50. Two-room furnished apartment formerly $35 increased to $46. Dallas, Tex. : The following sources of information have been contacted: Property Owners Association of Dallas, Real Estate Board of Dallas, and E. R. Avery Real Estate Co., R. J. Avery Real Estate Co., and Bone & Swingler Real Estate Co., Grand Prairie, Tex. The average rise in rents is 19 percent based on information received from the foregoing sources. Several local realtors state that unfurnished apartments which rented for $80 per month prior to June 1950 now rent for $95 per month. They also state that the two-bedroom houses in the housing developments which rented for $65 prior to June 1950 now rent for $75 per month. |