New-York tribune., 1906-06-21
CITY SLUM LANDLORD
TENEMENT LAWS BROKEN.
Municipal Problem IN Filthy Chelsea
Park Houses.

A
terment of the Citizens Union disclosed the fact
that the CITY of New York is the and lessor
of tenement houses. some of which are unfit for
human habitation, while all fagranty violate the
Tenement House act. These houses which are
the cty's property. are in Ninth and Tenth ave-
nues and 9th and 2Sth streets in the neighborhood
selected as the site of the proposed Chelsea Park
The condition of these houses first called to
the attention of the bureau of city betterment by
residents the proposed park site. The bureau
made thorough inspection. of the houses in the
block named including houses already owned by
the city and others be acquired. 1t gathered
evidence in the form of photographs which afford
convincing proof of the citys failure to conform
to the laws for whose enforcement the Tenement
House Department established.
The bureau of city betterment requested the
Tenement House Department to make investi-
cation. that the findings of the bureau might be
substantated The department has just completed
inspection, with the result that some Of the
houses have been ordered vacated as unfit for
habitaton. Violations ranging from five to
twenty-five in the of each tenement house
have been placed upon these buildings. The report
of the Tenement House Department to the bureau
states that practically all of these houses are in
neglected condition. and that in the case of ten
of the houses "the number of items Qnfractions
Of the aw). per violation range from thirteen to
twenty-five, average of sixteen orders for each
violation ;"
Some Of the violations found and verified both by
Photosraphs and the reports of the Tenement
House inspector were:
/. School sinks indescribabl,, 1,+b,, oa ,,,x.,
ooors. as the law requires.
the Rar6 rooms M without direct light ventilation
o. DARK cellars covered with sewage from broken
a Easements in which litter of every descrip
rlia uGn had accumulated and where broken water
,os ., Dark halls and halls with foul floor cover
o. Garbage and rubbish Uttered yards.
showed photographs of these conditions to Control
Ter Metz, in whose custody the houses are placed
by law Mr. Metz declared that he would have the
houses demolished.
Inc city is now the owner of thirty-three of the
siXty-nne parcels in the Chelsea Park sites These
thrty-three were purchased by private sale The
remaining thirty-sx are in process of condemna-
uon. The commission Of appraisal, consisting of
James Barker, James W. Boyle and Hardness B.
Devoe. has been taking testimony since July 49,
1860 1t is stated reliable authority that nothing
except desire for additional fees will prevent the
commission from making its report by the end OF
July next If the report is approved by the Su-
preme Court the city will title to the re-
naming thrty-six pieces of property, and may then
demolish the entire block.
The Board OF Estimate has power to pass reso-
luton taking title to this property before the re-
port of the Commissioners of Appraisal is made.
In this the law provides that title cannot vest
in the city until two months after the passing of
the resolution. Taking title in this way would not
be to the advantage of the city. After title is
vested in the city 1t cannot discontinue condemna-
ton proceedings. but must pay the awards made
by the Commissioners OF Appraisal, however ex-
tortonate they may be, unless the Supreme Court
disapproves of the report OF the commissioners.
The Supreme Court rarely rejects these reports,
because the commissioners not bound by any
testimony evidence whatever in making their
appralsals.
No advantage would result from taking title by
resolution of the Board of Estimate, unless it be
came possible by reason or suca acton 10 lmmedl-
all evidence of their value. that the city would
appraisal by the Supreme Court commissioner
The Controller may Immediately begin destroy
the selling Of the material in the buildings and its
city viii 6e he held tor any Thch @ ma
result to privately owned buildings adjoining the
'S Rs any had so is 6ns a the buildings
stand and the Tenement house Department and
the Board of Health permit their occupancy. they
must be leased by the Controller so that the ctys
lease these the con{roer turns them over to per-
sons who make it business to lease houses
ments. These middemen accept them on short
term leases at low rates. and agree to place
Tenement House law and the directions OF the
The lessee has intention of fulfilling the con-
dllon OF his lease He sublets the buildings 10
wretehed people who are driven to seek shelter or
homes there by penury vicious lazness. They
are too indifferent or TOO weak to make objection
to conditions but pay their small rents in an un-
certainty OF tenure IN order that the lessor may
make his profit. If the Tenement House Depart
ment intervenes and closes the houses they become
infested with warrants and are plundered by
thieves who carry away everything tnat the junk
VIII buy
The Controller declares therefore that he is be-
tween the devil and the deep sea. lie
not close the houses or tear them down and
serve the city's interests. nor may he conscen-
tlously continue TO lease them.
The problem that eonfrOnts Controller Metz
worsted his predecessor ex-ControIler Grout. The
first house ordered vacated by the Tenement House
Department in 1892 a house owned by the city.
Commissioner De Forest at that time asked the
Controller TO find some way to save the city from
the position of slum landlord, but in vain. AS the
recent investigation of the Bureau of City
ment makes plain, the evil still exists in aggra-
waited form, demanding the attention of the highest
municipal authority, the Board of Estimate. For
the present il is up to Controller Metz put an
end TO the vile conditions in the Chelsea Park
The city does not want the cost of
the health the morals and the lives of its citl-
zens.