Brooks House Rejects 1-2-3 In 1st Political Endorsement

In a break with its tradition of political neutrality, Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) yesterday announced its formal opposition to the fall ballot referendum Proposition 1-2-3.

Although PBHA formulated a policy last year for endorsing political positions, steering committee member Rosa Ehrenreich '91 said that the organization has not yet taken an official stand on a local political issue.

"There is a growing awareness at PBH of why what goes on in the community is crucial to Harvard students and to public service," Ehrenreich said.

She said 1-2-3, which would weaken rent control by allowing some tenants in rent-controlled apartments to buy their homes, would drive poorer tenants out of the city by giving landlords an incentive to rent only to the wealthy.

"We fear it will drive a lot of homeless families out of Cambridge," said PBHA member Stephen J. Klasen.

Proponents of the measure, however, contend that it would give low-income city residents an opportunity to buy apartments at a discount rate, because landlords would only have one market for their rent-controlled apartments.

"Most of the purported solutions just don't exist," Ehrenreich said.

Klasen said that in order for PBHA to endorse a political position, it must be approved by one of the organization's committees and then by the full cabinet. He added that the endorsement did not necessarily reflect the views of individual PBHA members.

"We're speaking for the cabinet of PBHA, not necessarily for any volunteer," Klasen said.