New-York tribune., 1907-12-04
CROWDIAG OUT The POOR
NO CHEAP FLATS NOW
T. p. NeUiHe Says Tenement House
Lnc Should Be Modified.

Houses delivered last night o3
Neville of the firm Of Neville q 0fAsso'
tects, before the real estate schooi ol 'Al0
Side Young Mems Christian Association p4e@
was made for the building OF tenement nou'
so that poor people can have coIiio. Iaoio ~
chean homes The speaker proposed various
notifications TO the tenement house law "Iilch
would make possible the construction o. s"cii
houses He also suggested other changes III 'ii9
law which, he thought, would not '1ILeot 'i10 "
stance of the act, but only result In hViis up ~
its provisions in more than one form ihsteao %
In mandatory degree. as at present ne sai'
he had no desire to lead any one 10 take d ie''0
active step in the construction OF ouIidlhss' anu
especially in the erection OF tenement houses
The tenement house law, he sald' reiesd'0u -
the mast poorlv lighted, poorly ventilated and
unsanitary houses and the building progress re-
sulting from the law should be rigidly main
tanned.
Mr.. Neville is a power in the realty heiu' anu
his address ELECTED close attention from the
members Of the school present, many hiehloei'
being well known real estate brokers' ot aP
praisers or specialists in certain branches OF ule
real estate market The director OF the Schoo''
in introducing Mr.. Neville TO the Glass; sai'i
that the firm of which Mr. Neville was mem
ber had been in business for over hfteeh yeal D.
and that about 75 per cent Of the modern apart
rnent houses in Broadway north of 34th sLree'
had been erected from plans by that firm he
also said that d large number of the apartment
houses built within the last few years III 'iI7
Washington Heights section had also been puiIt
from, plans bv the same firm. The lecture was
illustrated by many floor plans of houses
erected under the old and the new law
MI Neville said in part as follows;
'rThe real estate broker should have thor
ough knowledge OF the planning and construc-
broker thinks that such knowledge is outside OF
his field of usefulness. In fact many think IL
presumptious for them 10 express an opinion d.
TO how a building should be planned or con-
structed to builders or architects. NOW no"
can real estate man be q referee in matters as
10 what is the best possible building for GER
tain neighborhood or certain lot IL ne haS
given no attention TO such an lmpof'aht s"o-
st. Assuredly :he service OF real estate
broker who Is competeit to decide such I'M
r,o,...,5 subjects win be sought after thah
tbe ,,,o who takes the stand that the subject
g., for others 10 paes on. II is a we'll known tact
that tho most successful speculative builders
are more familiar with the real estate anu
financial end of the project than with tle c"ii-
struction and planning Of houses Many car
,artars and plumbers and other persons VINO
have hel,ed to erect houses have been faliureS
as speculative builders. Some of the failures
ha attributed
builders being too particular about the way the
strucrures were erected but most OF them are
due, 1 think. to a lack of how TO perfect Tue
-oal estate end of the project. how to get the
necessary loans how market the property
proftably and what is best needed or most sun
able for the plot to be improved Inc real estate
broker will add to his opportunities ot perfect
ing deals if instead Of placing before prospec-
tive buyer n diagram of plot he puts peioro
that person a diagram OF what form OF building
he thinks would prove 10 De the pesl rent P''-
ducer for the site.
THE real estate broker should have thor
o,,,,b knowledge of the tenement house law. Yet
ferv hrolers know much about the law. II is the
general impression that it is too oDtuse Tor
realty brokers to- understand, but the law can
be easily and therefore quickly understood
THE majority of architects and builders are
In accord with the principles involved IN the
new tenement house law. The law has long
rsssed the experimental stage. 1t is well estao-
Hshed 1t is In keeping with everything "hlch
has been done in recent years toward improving
the conditions in which the people OF this coun-
trv live Owing to the law the people OF TINS
civ are no longer forced to live III badly con-
structed and unsanitary houses. or what are
moro familiarly called rookeries.' so long a
menace to the health and welbeing Of the CON-
murity Our civic pride demanded well con-
structed, thoroughly ventilated ana SANITARY
houses, and that demand is expressed IN the
new tenement house law. The law was es-
peciaIly framed for the benefit of Door people.
but it benefits them least of all
"rbe reason for this state OF affairs is that
the new law house, though 1t covers per cent
,oss of the area Of a lot than the old law house.
costs more and increased cost or construction
has added a greater burden Of expense on the
| .bouIdars of poor people, Many poor people.
| because of this fact. have already been forced
/ IN live I'm the suburbs or IN the rural districts
| near this citv Architects and builders not
| o,,t of harmony with the provisions of the law,
/ hut thev are not in sympathy with those people
who are ardent supporters of the present form
| of administering the law. i hope this state
/ ment will in no sense be considered an arraiSn-
| ,nent of the officials of the Tenement House
| Department They an honest and efficient
| bodv of men 1t would be hard to find a better
| staff OF men in the employ of the city WHAT
! ever objections are made against the way the
law is carried out are entirely due to the law.
| 1t is SO framed that it gives no discretionary
| powers to the tenement house officials"
| .I would suggest that the law be changed
| that nroyison be made for q board of 3rbitra-
tion similar to that of the Department OF Build
| ings The board of appeal of the Buildings De-
| partment comprises about six or seven MEM
| bers including the chief OF the Fire Depart
! unent representative architect, an expert
| builder etc. ali of whom are in no other way
| connected with the Buildings Department. Now.
the tenement house law says that every building
| occupied by more than two families IS . tene-
u1ent house and the construction OF small or
! large tenement houses must conform to the pro-
visions OF the law. The law prescrbes certain
size outer courts. For instance, for five story
! iyty feet he minimum