The Detroit times., 1916-10-31
Members Are Urged
to Support Newly
Formed Body
WILL AID IN
BUILDING HOMES
Increased Rents In
Many Cases Not JUS
tilted, Says Speaker

Addro.sin- hugo gathering in
tho Detroit Board OF Commerce
auditorium Tuesday noon, President
Edwin Ucubt. Of that organization.
attacked housing conditions IN De
troit as rotten and earnestly
pleaded for .h, support OF the
boards $500 members in behalf az
the society for Savings, a building
and loan association organized by
the board 10 lend money to hom"
builders
Mr. nenby's address covered a
survey of housing conditions In De
troit during thc two weeks following
sept. s. made by Secretary Walter
Cole. Of the Detroit Board OF Com
merce. and FIVE members on his
stan
From their investigation Mr. Cole
and his aides found that rents had
been increased yariously from 20
10 80 pcr cent and In many in
nances nothing more than a si'ua
hon enabling landlords 10 take ad
yatagc OF crowded housing cond'-
tion waa the motive,
Mr. coles report 20 tho board.
which MIR Donby included IN his ad
Gress contained the following sum
mary
That rent In general in Detroit
arc too high
That rhr tenants in tho major.
ity of cases are dissatisfied and
looNug for other quarters.
"That skilled voramen and labor
ers with faHiics on account Of
rhc shortage OF homes and high
rents are leaving Detroit to secure
emp'cymop, .n other cities where
house. ~ reasonable rent can b."
secured
"Thai skilled workmen and labor
ers with families are sending their
families 10 nearby cities and vii
lagos and roomiug and boarding
eventually leaving Detroit on &C.
cnun, Of not being able 20 ao With
their families.
THAT tho excuses given by the
majority oi landlords in regard 10
increased rent, are not true.
THAT tho landlords in numerous
cases have increased the rents on
account Of tho shortage OF homes.
THAT remedy must be proyid
cd II the employers OF skilled and
common laborers hope to secure
and keep the most competent
help"
Mr. Dcnhv said in part
You All know what housing means.
We arc talking today rt "a lack ot
houses or amy KIND iu Detroit for 2
large number Of our people W" are
tallllug uf families that live Ia tents
with winter coming on, and No are
talking about Tremendous advances
in rent. and on" tallaClous eNcus"
often urrrd therefor. and We are
talking about the number Of good
mon who CAM keep their families
here because rcuta arc go high ur
they can't got houses at alI. and who
IN cuusequcutc threaten 10 leave and
nre leaving. and We arc talking
about Tho general proposition 81
whether ~ 'Fpuldn.t bc better 20 on
cournRo nnd 10 help thos" people 10
Ect homes ~ their own rather than
iet them froolo n t"uts or smother ~
rookrrics Ht q high rate pcr smother.
The 0gurr- shall give YOU are
taken flfll "a NNFNfN ffNFI NIX IiA'
tlcaliv every teaidonce dlatrict, ana
practically rvcrv house investigated
reuted FOR $50 or lesH IN 50 cases
tho aggregate rent FOR March. 1918.
was Sass - na against tltol IN
Marcel IHff. nm lurreaac ~ Wis 80.
or af per cent That Isn't su bad,
hut lttfrn IN i21 cases The total
rent i'm March 1915. was S255t.
while iu Tire same cases tho rcut paid
iu september 1915, was s2ih3tn. an
irtt,lsa - tG'q So or giG per cent
I'm - ca4cs Investigated there was an
Increase ~ rs por cent from March,
1910 o. September, 1915
The apartment house situation
seems 90 be even moro HWgravaicd.
Tor here arc shown increases from 7 =
io sO pcr cent in Elk months som"
200 families were until lately living
ga tonts. many owning their own
trut. aud having 81 por month rent
MANY landlords plvc As q reason
foi raising rents tho alleged iprreaaC
iu taxation Now. I've no quarrel
with tIa landlords or prnpcrty own
rra aud I've no quarrel with tho ro1-
Fon go often given except that u
Isn't truN.
As tp tho tax situation these arc
tCsstinsed on Psge NineD