The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-05
hOUslNG BOARD IS
WORKING HARD ON
BIG PROBLEM
Cleaning Up Tensments and Devising
Plans for Furnishing Sanitary
Homes for the Poor Is
Giant Task.
Surveys Made Of Three Districts on
the East Side Reveal Deplorable
Conditions.

the world over as q city Of homes
a. well as a great Industrial center,
now faces q problem that comes to
every rapidly growing city sooner or
latsr-the housing question. Until q
very few years ago, this city was
practically free OF tenements Of the
type found In large cities like New
York and Boston. but with Its rapid.
almost abnormal growth. and the in
fiux OF immigrants In large number. a
condition has arisen that calls for a
prompt and efficient remedy II De-
troit's reputation az q city OF homes
10 to be sustained
Il was with this idea that the De-
troit Housing commission was organ
fxed last September by number or
prominent citizens who had the best
interests OF the city and its people
at heart. and II was made an adjunct
OF the Detroit Board of Commerce.
Working very quietly, the commits
sion, through its general secretary
Luther Z. Lovejoy. and the efforts or
Individual members, has accomplished
more than the public has any con-
ception OF and is only fairly started.
From a membership Of II In the be-
ginning, the enrolment has increased
to 40 and is growing. The work. in
the meantime, has been carried for
ward on a systematic basis, and the
commission Is already at work on a
definite plan for relieving, in a meas
ure at least, some Of the deplorable
conditions found to exist among De-
troit's poor. The details have not
been worked out, and, therefore, can
not be made known at this time, but,
as outlined by Rabbi Franklin re-
Gently, the plan contemplates the or
ganization OF company to build san
itary homes for the poor and rent
them at low rates.
The program Of work mapped out
by Secretary Lovejoy contemplated.
first of all, a quiet but minute and
comprehensive investigation OF local
housing conditions, a study OF local
housing laws and regulations and
comparison Of these laws and regula-
lions with those Of other cities: a
campaign of publicity. showing both
the evil conditions existing asd the
lack of legal regulations and Of lay
fort to. secure better housing laws,
enforcement and for a defense
against adverse interests. On such
plan as this similar movements
have succeeded in other cities, and
there IL reason to believe 1t will work
out successfully here.
Thus far, Secretary Lovejoy has
made three surveys OF tenement dis
tricts, all on the east side, detailed
reports of which were submitted 90
the board of directors OF the housing
commission In the last meeting. The
surveys included the two blocks
bounded by Beaubien, ST. Antoine,
Fort and Larned-sts., and the block
bounded by Hastings, Riyard, Colum-
bia and Montcalm-sts. or 1913 back
yards inspected, only 33 were found
in good condition. or the remainder,
75 were either wet or damp, 81 were
dirty or filthy and Sc contained rub
bish. or 1,094 rooms inspected, 1913
were dark or gloomy, 243 were dirty
or filthy and 559, more than so per
cent, were In bad repair. The SAM.
tary conditions, In the majority Of
cases, were extremely bad. or $50
kitchen sinks found, for instance, %
had no trap In the waste pipe and
tenants were thus exposed to the
deadly fumes OF sewer gas. In the
1904 rooms, 1,241. persons are housed.
One Of the greatest evils revealed
a. previously indicated In The Times,
was the crowding of buildings on lots,
with the result that the fire peril is
excessive. The proportion of un-
lighted and unvenulated bedrooms
found by Mr.. Lovejoy In these three
blocks was unusually large. The
Number OF items OF defective housing
recorded In a total OF 1853 separate
Dremises Inspected, up to the time Of
<he last meeting, was 2,60S.
Under the heading. What we are
1olng now" In, Secretary Loyejoy's
<oDort appears the following:
ID Inspecting selected districts.
II Investigating fragrant viola
lions of safe housing.
Studying the rooming house
problem. ........
Cooperating with the board
OF health and the police de-
partment In correcting I'M