Volume 67 · 24
Public Law 83–23
To amend and extend the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, and for other purposes.
Approved April 30, 1953
Statutory text
AN ACT
To amend and extend the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That this Act may be cited as the “Housing and Rent Act of 1953”.
Sec. 2.
Section 4 of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended,
Veterans.
is amended—
by striking out “1953” in subsection (e) of said section and inserting in hen thereof “1954”; and
by inserting after the words “veterans of World War II” wherever they appear in said section the words “and of the Korean conflict”.
Sec. 3.
Paragraph (5) of subsection (b) of section 204 of the
Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 4.
Paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of section 204 of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is amended by striking out “(whether or not under Federal rent control)” in the first sentence, and by striking out the second sentence.
Sec. 5.
Subsection (f) of section 204 of the Housing and Rent
Termination.
Act of
1947, as amended, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph:
“(5) (A) Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (1) of this subsection—
“(i) the provisions of this title shall cease to be in effect at the close of July 31, 1953, in the areas described in subparagraph (1) (B) and (C) of this subsection in which maximum rents were in effect on April 30, 1953; and
“(ii) the provisions of this title shall cease to be in effect at the close of April 30, 1954, in any area which has been or is certified under subsection (1) of this section as a critical defense housing area.
“(B) Any such area which was certified as a critical defense Housing area prior to the date of enactment of the Housing and Rent Act of 1953 shall be reviewed by the President in the light of the new criteria applicable to critical defense housing areas and shall be continued under control after such review (which must be concluded by July 31, 1953), only if, after such review and prior to such date, the President determines that such area meets the requirements for certification under section 201 (1) as amended by such Act, and publishes in the Federal Register notice that such determination has been made.”
Paragraph (3) of subsection (f) of section 204 of the Housing
and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is amended by striking out “(1)” and inserting in lieu thereof “(5)”.
Paragraph (4) of subsection (f) of section 204 of the Housing
and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is amended by striking out “(1) or (3)” and inserting in lieu thereof “(3) or (5)”.
Sec. 6.
The second sentence of subsection (1) of section 204 of the
Critical defense housing area.
Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is amended by striking out “without exception” and inserting in lieu thereof “except housing accommodations the construction of which was completed on or after February 1, 1947, or which are additional housing accommodations created by conversion on or after February 1, 1947”. The fourth sentence of such subsection is amended by striking out “subsection (e) or (j)” where it appeal’s in the matter preceding the colon and inserting in lieu thereof “subsection (c), (e), or (j)”. The last sentence of such subsection is amended to read as follows: “No area shall be certified as a critical defense housing area under the authority granted in this subsection unless all the following conditions exist in such area (except that clause (2) of this sentence shall not apply in any
AEC installations.
area in which is located an Atomic Energy Commission installation and the housing accommodations in such area are owned by the Federal Government; however, maximum rents under this title shall not apply to any such housing accommodations when sold by the Federal government):
“(1) A new plant or installation of the Department of Defense or the Atomic Energy Commission has been or is being provided, or an existing plant or installation of either of such agencies has been or is being reactivated or its operation substantially expanded;
“(2) Substantial in-migration of defense workers or military personnel is required to carry out activities at such plant or installation; and
“(3) A substantial shortage of housing required for such defense workers or military personnel exists which has resulted or threatens to result in excessive rent increases and which impedes or threatens to impede activities of such plant or installation.”
Sec. 7.
Section 204 of the Housing and Kent Act of 1947, as amended,
is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:
“(r) Regulations or orders under this title shall be subject to the
Protest of orders, etc.
same proceedings for protest and review as are provided for regulations or orders relating to price controls by sections 407 and 408 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, and for such purpose
Post, p. 131.
such sections are hereby continued notwithstanding the provisions of section 717 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended.”
Sec. 8.
Subsection (a) of section 208 of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, is amended to read as follows:
“(a) The President shall administer the powers, duties, and functions conferred upon him by this Act through such officer or agency of the Government as he may designate. In accordance with the action
Office of Rent Stabilization.
Liquidation.
taken by him pursuant to the preceding sentence, the President shall provide for appropriate transfers of records, property, necessary personnel, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds heretofore under the jurisdiction of, or available to, the Office of Rent Stabilization. Any employees of the Office of Rent Stabilization not so transferred shall, unless transferred to other positions in the Government, be separated from the service. The President shall make such provisions as he shall deem appropriate for the termination and liquidation of the affairs of the Office of Rent Stabilization, but such liquidation shall be accomplished no later than July 31, 1953. For the purpose of determining the status of employees transferred to an agency administering functions provided for in this Act, they shall be deemed to be transferred in connection with a transfer of functions.”
Sec. 9.
Nothing in this Act or in the Housing and Rent Act of 1947.
as amended, shall be construed to require any person to offer any housing accommodations for rent.
Sec. 10.
The second sentence of section 203 of the Defense Production Act Amendments of 1952 is amended to read as follows: “Any committee
so appointed shall consist, in addition to a chairman, of Representatives of the Department of Defense and the Housing and Home Finance Agency.”
Approved April 30, 1953.