Pres. Truman's State of the Union speeches: on Welfare & Poverty

Maintain rent control, especially in metropolitan areas

Despite this increase, there is still an acute shortage of housing for the lower and middle-income groups, especially in large metropolitan areas. Rent control has done a great deal to prevent the housing shortage from having had worse effects during this postwar period of adjustment. Rent control is still necessary to prevent widespread hardship and sharp curtailment of the buying power of millions of consumers in metropolitan areas. I recommend, therefore, that rent control be continued for another year.