Angry Words Fly As Tenants Face Local Rent Head

In a meeting interrupted several times by angry exchanges between landlords and tenants, now Cambridge Rent-Control Administrator William J. Corkery conducted his first public hearing on fair net-income standards under rent control.

William Cunningham, a member of the Cambridge Tenants Organizing Committee, criticized the present standard which calls for rent raises up to 15 per cent of the market value as "a program to control tenants, not to control rents."

Advice

Two hundred and fifty people attended the hearing in Rindge Tech Auditorium which Corkery called to seek advice before he announces what standard he will use at upcoming rent adjustment hearings.

Interim Rent-Control Administrator Philip M. Cronin had previously been sharply criticized for his interpretation of fair net income as between 10 to 15 per cent of market value.

"Such an exorbitant rate," Cunningham said, "is designed only to increase rents for the profit of landlords and is a direct violation of the 'reasonable profit' clause of the Massachusetts Rent-Control Law."

William H. Walsh, attorney for the Cambridge Taxpayers Association, defended the city's rent policies, stating that "a 12 per cent market-value rate is reasonable" in view of the landlords' increasing operating costs.

Reasonable?

"The landlord is responsible for all utilities, repair costs, and capital improvements," Waish said, "and theseare being constantly modified by the rise in inflation."

Take a Look

Philip Shaw, an attorney with the Tenants Assistance Project in Cambridge, countered Walsh's statement, saying that "if Mr. Walsh really believes what he says is true. then he obviously hasn't seen what Cambridge landlords consider repairs and capital improvements."

Corkery, who remained silent and somewhat bored by the proceedings, was constantly reminded by cries from the angry crowd of tenant owners to "pay attention to what's going on. you might learn something."