The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-17
HUNDREDS MUST PAY
MORE RENT OR MOVE
Widows With Children and
Soldiers Among Victims
Of "Gougers."
FLATS IN BAD CONDITION
Smith Commission Hear of
Landlords Avarice and
Tenants Suffering.

Tales OF increased rents for apart
ments where water usually or always
runs cold and the plaster scales off
PEELED to get out" II they object to he
ing gouged by avaricous landlords or
the more daring rent boosting lessees
OF building are coming daily by mail
to the housing committee OF Gov. Smiths
Reconstruction Commission. Mothers of
fatherless children, discharged soldiers
Of big families and others seeking inn
mediate relief for what they describe
as 'intolerable conditions are sending
in their complaints. hoping the COM
mission will be able to do something
about It.
or course the commission hasn't any
panacea on tap that is going to make
tenants happy and landlords contented.
The members admit this, but they do say
the evidence of distress on the part of
individual families will be valuable
addition to the facts concerning hous-
ing conditions now being gathered by the
housing committee in its survey OF
twenty-five widely separated blocks in
the greater city. Then when the COM
mission finds out all that II Is possible
to learn from tenants and hears what
the landlords and the lessees have to
say in their own defence 1t will be in a
position to get down to brass lacks in
recommending measures which, in Its
Judgment. may give relief to the hous-
ing situation.
Tenants Fear Landlords.
to complaints. They frankly declare
| say If they made known their names
greedy landlords would evict them
Eviction to many is more dreadful than
boosted rents because that means a
| hunt for an apartment which never may
| be found. However. the majority af-
| fixed signatures as evidence of good
faith.
"Our house was sold last month and
| my mother and I Eve live on different
| ioors) was ordered out" wrote a
| woman in the Bronx. IT have been
| looking for rooms or houses to let six
weeks and am as bad to-day as when
| I started. having three little boys who
will not be admitted any where I went.
Real estate people give me no hope and
| no to let signs are being put out. In
fact. have lost my health in these
rooms and my doctor ordered me to
let up. A more unsanitary house you
would hardly find. leaking gas and
plumbing, no house cleaning having
been done in four years. but the new
owner demanded 50 increase to-day. In
all the county there don't seem to be a
place for me- I'd gladly pay $40 he
demands II there were hot water. but we
| have only the roof over our heads.
Isn't there hope or justice for me? ]
| happen to have three fine little boys and
can keep and feed them. but the street
IS the only place unless you can send
help soon to advise an American born
girl"
| A woman, the head of one of twenty
| families In a Bronx apartment whose
rents were raised 81 two months ago
and who were notified yesterday of an
| other raise OF 50 on May !. wrote
| IL will not be able to do II. so l wish
I could get some help from you. as |
have two small children. and I would
like TO feed them the right way. but |
cannot do II II have to give 1t TO them
Huns"