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Lob Angeles - Oct. 2, 1951 4705-11-22 Mr. Galvin K, Gory: oc: Mr. ¥.H. Johnson - Las Vegas (Personal) In connection with recent increase in water rates, t understand that the motel people have conceived the bright idea of calling themselves ‘’hotels'1 to secure the benefit of the lower hotel rate. I have been making a rather hurried check of the lav as to the differentiation, if any-, between a ‘’hotel* and "motel* and my check has not been particularly encouraging so far as we are concerned. There are two federal eases which involve the applicability of the rent regulations, namely, Heather Hall Corporation v. Haines. 90 Fed. Sapp. 280 and Adler vs. northern Hotel Go.. 180 Fed. 2d. 742. ----------- The Heather case holds that a housing accommodation containing 69 units, which primarily was rented to tenants as permanent residents, and for which no maid service or linen was provided, was not subject to rent control as a "hotel". The file indicates that the unit was registered as a multiple housing unit and not as a hotel and no local license was ever issued to it as a hotel. In the Adler case, the court went off on the theory that under the Bent Control Act it was necessary to determine whether the establishment in question was commonly known in the community as a hotel as required by the Act. This was an apartment hotel, with maid service and linen and laundry fur­nished. These two cases bring up the question as to whether you could determine (1) whether the motels in question were registered under the old Bent Control Regulations and if so, in what capacity. I do not know whether you have & local rent control office in Las Vegas now or not, sinoe rent control has been abolished, but possible there is someone who has the old files and records or from whom you could develop this information.