Council Reprimands Danish Prince

Prince Frederick of Denmark '96 may be Harvard's newest and most royal matriculating student next year, but to the Cambridge City Council he's an abuser of the city's rent control system.

The council voted last night to let the prince know exactly how they feel.

Councillors passed two resolutions, one that diplomatically welcomes the prince to Cambridge, and a second that asks him to find non-rent controlled housing.

The prince, who will be a first year this fall, plans to move into a rent controlled apartment owned by Harvard University Real Estate, according to Councillor William H. Walsh.

His use of rent control--a 20 year old city policy designed to provide affordable housing by capping rents--will deprive needy families of an opportunity to live in the city, many councillors said.

"It's a crime to the taxpayer," said Walsh, who led the effort to pass the ordinance. "We do enough to subsidize the people in the city. We shouldn't have to internationally subsidize people who want to stay in our city for one or two years."

The future Cambridge home of the prince will be 17 Ware Street, one of approximately 14,000 rent control units owned by Harvard Real Estate, according to Walsh.

Several community members and councillors said they felt the prince should not be using the rent control system when he could probably afford uncontrolled housing. And many rent-control landlords cited the example of the prince as proof of the fallibility of the rent control system.

"There's going to be Prince Fredericks all the time," said Lenore Schloming, an owner of rent controlled property.

But some councillors hedged on sending the prince a reprimand, say- ing the first message a foreign visitorreceives should not be threatening.

"I don't think that the only message to avisitor should be `get out of your newapartment,'" said Councillor Jonathan S. Myers.

Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55 said he agreedand managed to push through a substitute order,replacing Walsh's original one, which simply askedthe prince to find alternative housing.

The new resolution includes both a welcome anda request for the prince and the University toarrange for the housing of the prince "and otherstudents of considerable wealth in housing otherthan rent control housing."

But Walsh still opposed sending any greeting tothe royal visitor, saying "We should not pussyfootaround the issue."

Other councillors, however, said the Dane mightnot be aware of the city's rent control laws andplaced much of the blame on Harvard Real Estate.

Community Sensitivity

"Harvard said at the end of the last councilterm that they would be more community sensitive,"said Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72.

"I think that Harvard should know better," hesaid.

Reeves, who lives in a rent controlledapartment, voted in favor of both resolutions.

The council will send a copy of the welcome toboth the future tenant and his landlord. Only acopy of the request for new housing arrangementswill be sent to Harvard Real Estate.

The council resolution is public record andWalsh expressed an interest in sending a copy ofthe second ordinance to Prince Frederick himself.

'Something Rotten'

Cambridge residents at the council meeting alsoexpressed outrage that the prince would be livingin a rent controlled home.

"There's something rotten in the state ofDenmark," said William R. Noble of the CambridgeTenants Union

"I don't think that the only message to avisitor should be `get out of your newapartment,'" said Councillor Jonathan S. Myers.

Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55 said he agreedand managed to push through a substitute order,replacing Walsh's original one, which simply askedthe prince to find alternative housing.

The new resolution includes both a welcome anda request for the prince and the University toarrange for the housing of the prince "and otherstudents of considerable wealth in housing otherthan rent control housing."

But Walsh still opposed sending any greeting tothe royal visitor, saying "We should not pussyfootaround the issue."

Other councillors, however, said the Dane mightnot be aware of the city's rent control laws andplaced much of the blame on Harvard Real Estate.

Community Sensitivity

"Harvard said at the end of the last councilterm that they would be more community sensitive,"said Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72.

"I think that Harvard should know better," hesaid.

Reeves, who lives in a rent controlledapartment, voted in favor of both resolutions.

The council will send a copy of the welcome toboth the future tenant and his landlord. Only acopy of the request for new housing arrangementswill be sent to Harvard Real Estate.

The council resolution is public record andWalsh expressed an interest in sending a copy ofthe second ordinance to Prince Frederick himself.

'Something Rotten'

Cambridge residents at the council meeting alsoexpressed outrage that the prince would be livingin a rent controlled home.

"There's something rotten in the state ofDenmark," said William R. Noble of the CambridgeTenants Union