Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1916-01-29
BENEF|CENT WORK
OF URBAN LEAGUE
Committee on Better Homes
Makes Able Report.
PLAN TO REDUCE HIGH RENTS


York City Reveals Conditions Which
Cali For Immediate Remedy-over-
crowded Homes a Moral Issue.
New York.-The recent report on the
investigation Of housing conditions
among the coorcd people of Harlem
which was made by the National
League Oh Urban Conditions is begin
ming to bear tangible results The
question OF providing proper housing
conditions In this section has been
made the subject OF series Of confer
ences between representatives Of the
Advisory Council OF Real Estate Inter
ests, the City and Suburban Homes
company, the National League on Or
ban Conditions and the Property Own
erT Improvement corporation
These meetings were attended by
prominent citizens who have become
interested In the welfare Of the colored
people Of the city Of New York. A
number Of model apartment houses are
to be erected In Harlem as Il memorial
to the late E. r. L. Gould, president of
the City and Suburan Homes company,
who was 30 largely interested In the
Ph1pps houses and the Tuskegee and
Hampton apartment houses in the
West Sixtieth street district The
houses In Harlem are 10 be constructed
with the idea In mind of correcting
some Of the conditions which were ex-
posed by the Urban league In its re-
port.
Some Of the facts as outlined In the
report are as follows: Only rs per cent
of colored families Of Harlem live In
three and four room apartments, while
II per cent live In FIVE and six room
and per cent in seven and eight room
apartments. These families have an
average income OF $791 yearly and pay
1921, or 80 per cent Of their income.
for rent. OF 1913 apartments in the
same character Of houses occupied by
German Jews. in neighboring districts.
50 per cent are three and four room
apartments, and these tenants pay only
SPOT yearly for rent from an average
income much larger than that received
by colored people.
In 62 Per cent Of the apartments oc-
cupied by the colored families dodgers
constitute 80 per cent Of the total pop
ulatiOn. These dodgers are taken into
homes because Of the necessity to pay
high rents. There Is a lodging popu-
lation In Harlem alone Of 5000 per-
sons, while the increase In Negro pop
ulation in New York city Is about 1000
persons year.
In an investigation by the National
League On Urban Conditions among
Negroes in al area Of about twenty
three blocks, between One Hundred
and Forty-second and One Hundred
and Thirty-tirst streets, there were 726
apartments and 443 private houses oc-
cupied by Negroes, with but per cent
OF the total number Of residents in the
district Of white extraction. When
these houses were opened to colored
people the rents increased per month
from 81 to s. per apartment.
1t Is estimated that the total number
OF Negroes in Harlem Is about $4,000.
AS has been cited above, they are al
ready paying rents which are exorbi-
tant, compared with their limited in
comes, and they cannot pay still high
er rents that would be expected II bet
ter services were given in these houses.
! The fact that the houses occupied by
| colered people return good revenues is
| shown by the return on the average
| assessed valuation In that district of
| 7-per cent net. The following example
Is cited by the National Urban league
as indicating that the increase in rent
| occurs when white people are succeed
/ ed by coored people.
Twin houses in Harlem were owned
| by a single landlord and absolutely
| filed with white people. They were
| rented ut from SIG to SO per month
Why We Draw Back.