Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 55 Part 1.djvu/817

 PUBLIC LAWS--CH. 553-DEC. 2, 1941 sonnel, subject to approval by the Commissioners of the District of 42 Stat.i 48. Columbia, and in accordance with the Classification Act of 1923, as Ante, p. 613. amended, without regard to race or creed, as may be necessary in the Reports. performance of his functions under this Act. The Administrator shall submit a semiannual report to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for transmittal to the Congress of the United States. owers of Admin- SEC. 7. OBTAINING INFORMATION. -- (a) The Administrator may make stratrsuch studies and investigations, and obtain or require the furnishing of such information under oath or affirmation or otherwise, as he deems necessary or proper to assist him in prescribing any regulation or order under this Act, or in the administration and enforcement of Testiony this Act, and regulations and orders thereunder. For such purposes the Administrator may administer oaths and affirmations, may require by subpena or otherwise the attendance and testimony of wit- nesses and the production of documents at any designated place, may require persons to permit the inspection and copying of documents, and the inspection of housing accommodations and may, by regula- tion or order, require the making and keeping of records and other Immunity. documents. No person shall be excused from complying with any requirement under this section because of his privilege against self- incrimination, but the immunity provisions of the Compulsory Testi- 49 .atS. 3. 4. mony Act of February 11, 1893 (U. S . C., 1934 edition, title 49, sec. 46), shall apply with respect to any individual who specifically claims Enforement. gsuch privilege. In the event of contumacy or refusal to obey any such subpena or requirement under this section, the Administrator may make application to the United States District Court for the Dis- trict of Columbia for an order requiring obedience thereto. There- upon the court, with or without notice and hearing, as it in its dis- cretion may decide, shall make such order as is proper and may punish as a contempt any failure to comply with such order. Rules and regua- (b) The Administrator shall have authority to promulgate, issue, tions amend, or rescind rules and regulations, subject to approval by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and to issue such orders as may be deemed necessary or proper to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act or to prevent the circumvention or evasion Subletting. thereof. The Administrator may require a license as a condition of engaging in any rental transaction involving the subletting of any housing accommodations or the renting of housing accommodations in "oing hous"rbod a rooming or boarding house, or in a hotel. For the purposes of this Act the term "rooming or boarding house" means a house in which living quarters are rented by the householder to more than two per- sons. No fee shall be charged for the issuance to any person of any such license and no such license shall contain any provision not pre- scribed by this Act or which could not be prescribed by regulation, order, or requirement thereunder. Petitions. SEC. 8. PROCEDURE. -(a) Any petition filed by a landlord or tenant under section 4 shall be promptly referred to an examiner designated by the Administrator. Notice of such action, in such manner as the Administrator shall by regulation prescribe, shall be given the tenant and landlord of the housing accommodations involved. If the peti- tion be frivolous or without merit, the examiner shall forthwith dismiss it. Such order of dismissal may be reviewed by the Admin- istrator in the manner provided in subsection (c) of this section. The examiner shall grant a hearing upon the petition except in cases dismissed under this subsection. Conduct of hear- (b) Hearings under this section shall be conducted in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Administrator. The landlord and tenant shall be gven an opportunity to be heard or to file written statements, due regard to be given the utility and relevance of the [55 STAT.

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