The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-07
IN
TENE M ENTS
1907 RECORD
CONTINUED from First page.)


plans filed numbered 800, while for the
past year 1,010. The number of plans
approved in 1905 was 541, in 1906 it was
SO2, and in 1907 1t was 923. The growth
in the number of tenement Houses
erected has been as follows: In 1905
the number was 1876, in 1906 the num-
ebr erected was 1,079, while in 1907 the
number built was 1888. The tenement
houses erected in the three years have
accommodations for housing 21,S97 FAM
files. The cost of the tenements erected
each year has been: In 1905 Sc, 309, 900;
in 1906, SO, 1872, 900; in 1907, $12, 023, 900.
The extent of tenement house con-
struction in New Jersey is shown by
the aggregate figures of the work of
the commission for the three years.
The total number Of plans which have
been filed for the three years was $50;
the total number of plans approved,
1895; the total number OF tenements
erected, 1908; the total cost, $29. 164, 600.
It will be noticed that of the 1910
plans submitted during the past year
923 were approved. In some instances
the plans provided for the erection of
two or more houses on adjoining lots,
so that the number of houses erected
was in excess of the number Of plans
filed.
In addition to the plans for new build
ings approved by the department there
were plans for alterations to existing
tenement houses. amounting to s241, 900,
showing that the inspectors of the
board had under constant surveillance
during the year new buildings and all
teration work to the value of $12, 264 900.
During the year the board has in
stituted suit against the owners of 119
tenement houses. in cases where there
was no other means of procuring COM
pliance with the law, the fines and costs
in such cases a~ggregating $1,487. 95,
which amount the report say has been
turned over to the State treasurer.
The report goes on to show that in
the work of improving existing condi-
lions in tenements the board has
brought about the removal of 7,434 vio-
lations in various cities of the State.
The report continues: Essex County
leads the State in the number of new
tenements erected during the year,
the total expenditure in that county
being $4,S34, 900, providing accommoda-
lions for 4,015 families in 645 houses
constructed according to law. Hudson
County's record for the year was $40
new buildings, with apartments for
3,478 families. Hudson County spent
more money in the erection of new ten
ements than Essex County, for a
smaller number of buildings, the Hud-
son figures being SELL, 000. This Is due
to the fact that frame houses were
built in Essex to a greater extent thar
in Hudson.
The board received sos complaints
during the year and forced. the removal
of the cause of complaint in AIS in
stances. The complaints received in
cluded 425 cases in which the complain
ants allege the commencement of new
buildings or alterations without the
filing and approval of plans. During
the year the commission placed fire
escapes on 469 tenement houses more
than four stories in height, the con-
struction and erection of the fire es-
capes being under the surveillance of
the inspectors of the department. In
the report attention Is directed to a
of cases in Bayonne, Newark,
Jersey City and Hoboken in which the
owners of small buildings, formerly ar
ranged for and occupied by one or two
have converted the buildings
to tenement uses by the instalIe sion
Of extra kitchen sinks and othey APP
purtenances for living rooms and
four or six families therein.
The report emphasizes the fact that
the law provides that a building not
for use as a tenement house, if
thereafter altered or converted to tene-
ment uses, shall thereupon become SUBJ
ject to all the provisions of the law
affecting new buildings. This provision
of the law has been ignored in the in
cited, and a number of the
cases have been referred to the Attor-
ney-General for prosecution in the
courts. In others Of these cases the
board has forced the owners to restore
the buildings to their original condition
as non-tenement houses.