Show VOICE OF THE PEOPLE By T Telegram Readers i Housing Shortage Acute Says Decontrol Opponent Editor Telegram The mayor of ot Salt Lake City has asked for ideas and discussions relative to consideration of decontrol of rentals in Salt Lake City The undersigned is qualified to discuss discuss discuss dis dis- dis- dis cuss most thoroughly this subject subject subject sub sub- by virtue of the fact that during the last three months he has looked at or inquired into more than rentals of varied sorts The mayor asks for the truth Before the truth can be told the untruths must first be pointed out The mayor has been advised advised advised ad ad- by organized land landlords that vacancies exist and that supply has met demand in many cases What a lot of malarkey Sure there have been vacancies as have been clearly shown in inthe inthe inthe the classified sections but has hashe hashe hashe he ever read these ads And has he ever noticed how ma many of these ads are repeated time and again by the same landlords for the same unwanted undesirable undesirable undesirable unde unde- apartments Lets Let's look at the classified section section section sec sec- tion for the entire month of March 1949 and well we'll show where for every residential not tourist courts for rent listing he will find six wanted to rent listings by prospective tenants Let it be repeated most of those for rent ads are repetitions Time and time again the undersigned undersigned undersigned under under- signed has answered an ad only to learn that he had called the same telephone number three weeks earlier Has the mayor ever taken notice of the short space devoted to listings showing apartments for rent and nd then compared that short space with the long columns set aside for the wanted to rent ads Has he ever noticed the wording of the theto theto theto to rent ads Most fost of ot them will read two one rooms adults no children and share the bath He is asked to take notice of the wording of ot the wanted to rent ads These ads are filled with ith picas pleas that show worry fear tear need anxiety and that show compliance and obedience obedience obedience obedi obedi- ence to the landlords every wish When the for rent ads read three four rooms rooms children welcome welcome welcome wel wel- come and private bath included then and only then can landlords or anybody else justifiably say that the shortage has eased it itself itself itself it- it self and that the supply is equal to the demand Another point is the fact that the only rentals available are advertised whereas only a very small proportion of tenants advertise their needs As for the landlord making a profit on his property he very definitely is entitled to it ft Of all the places the undersigned saw in only one instance can it be said that the landlord was being treated unfairly Prior to the shortage a landlord operated operated oper oper- ted profitably on less than 80 SO- 85 occupancy At times there were when an apartment went vacant with no income from it At that time before a tenant moved in with children too the landlord stood the expense expense expense ex ex- ex- ex pense of cleaning painting and renovating But today a family fam fam- fly ily moves in the morning and a anew anew anew new tenant sans children moves in that evening Is the apartment we are arc not talking about homes because they are arc definitely not for rent cleaned or and/or repaired 1 Heck no It If I 1 the tenant has any self-respect self or dignity he will repaint the apartment at his own expense That expense the tenant goes through is actually cash in the landlords landlord's pocket Lets Let's not feel too sorry for forthe forthe forthe the landlord whose 20 year old year old house is now worth 10 10 and who does docs not have any vacancies to worry about There are injustices ces to landlords and for the most part the rent control control control con con- agencies have made the necessary adjustments and will so continue But there are many grave injustices to the tenant Some of these are Take it or leave it no children in this state of big families families Share the stinking stinking- bath sometImes sometimes sometimes some some- times the bath is on the next floor share the refrigerator accept the used worn out di dilapidated dilapidated dilapidated di- di furniture that was purchased from a used furniture dealer 10 years ago and paint the dirty apartment at your own expense Now that prices are on the decline decline decline de de- cline apartment upkeep costs also will decline Decontrol at this time will bring people closer and closer to Washington D D. C. C and so-called so bureaucracy because because because be be- cause people would rather be ruled from there but at least protected than to be ruled lo locally locally locally lo- lo cally with no protection and no security We Ve ask the mayor to study the situation before seeking de de- de- de control Our governor certainly did not study the rental situation situation situation situa situa- tion in Ogden Dont Don't force us to look to Washington D. D C. C for tion Remember people need a a. roof over their heads and prices are declining S. S S. S T. T Salt Lake City |