The sun., 1919-05-12
GOVERNOR WILL
SPUR DRIVE FOR
HOUSE BUILDING
Calls Meeting Here Friday
to Consider Plans for
Starting Work.
MONEY READY TO INVEST
More Will Be Homeless After
Eviction Hearings To-day
and Tomorrow.
MONEY READY TO INVEST

Plans OF the Governors Reconstruc-
ton Commission for the relief of hous-
ing conditions are to be discussed and
perhaps made effective by a represer-
tative group Of men and women at
the Metropolitan Club. Fifth avenue
and Sixtieth street, next Friday even
ing. Gov. Smith will come down from
the State capital to attend the con-
ference, call for which was issued bv
him last night at the request of the
commission.
II has been known for some time that
the commission was hard at work on
a plan for the construction of apart-
ments by private capital The build
ings' according to the contemplated pro-
gramme. are to be completed and ready
for occupancy by naxt winter. The
project involves the expenditure Of many
millions OF dollars.
Members of the commission have care
FULLY refrained from making known the
identities Of any of the Individual cap
'talists and philanthropists who have
atoms now in order that relief for the
housing situation may come before snow
flies. II is expected that the most prom
inent real estate men and women will
be at the conference, but the Governor
said last night he Is not ready to an
nounce their names at this time. The
Reconstruction Commission probably will
make the list public In day or two.
In a preliminary report to the Gov
ernor. which caused him to authorize
next Fridays conference, the commits
sion said /:
The only way to meet the situation
Is 10 build more houses at once. The
commission therefore urges that in or
der that building operations may be
begun In good season to provide hous-
ing accommodations before next winter
that will alleviate some degree Of dis
tress you call into conference immedi-
ately citizens of New York, before whom
a detailed plan of relief. already pre-
pared for their consideration, can be
laid, and which with their cooperation
can be made effective"
The preliminary report OF the proposed
plan makes these points:
81. Cost Of building will not return
10 its pre-war cost for some years.
%. Next winter the scarcity of houses
in New York city will be SO great and
rents will be so high. unless houses are
built this season, that labor will be
turned away from this city and New
Works business, industry and prestige
will suffer.
"3. Building at the present moment
can be made TO give limited return on
present average rentals II cheap land
within easy reach of existing industry
Is used
=. Building should be carried on on
q large scale.
"5. Expert and experienced advice
should be secured from men accustomed
20 handling housing on a large scale
from the point of view OF finance, de-
sign. building and management. On
cheap land It will be possible to build
apartments far less congested than ex-
sting houses. Experienced builders and
designers will be able, working on
large scale, to build a better type OF
dwelling than much OF the existing hous-
ing in New York"
Causes other Than Prohteering.
The committee reported to the Gov
ernor that while "rent increasing was at
FIRST aScribed by the public to profiteer-
ing on the part of landlords, II took but
little study on the part of the housing
committee to establish the fact that the
causes were more fundamental"
Concerning it's block surveys in Man
haitian, The Bronx and Brooklyn, the
committee said:
These surveys indicate many detailed
nosnts Of interest, such ~ a block in the
sixties on the East Side. where only one
q RNV q
this despite the fact that apartments
were found 70 be in bad repair and that
rents had been increased 15 to 20 per
cent, The landlord on account OF the
scarcity Of houses Is entirely In control
Of the situation. II he is kind hearted
ne will not raise the rent TO those VINO
are too poor 10 pay, and he will see
mat the conditions under which they
live are at least not unclean.
II he lacks interest he can raise the
rents practically to any extent that he
desires and let his apartment fall into
a disreputable condition, in which so
many Of those visited Ivy our investigat-
oTs Of 'hc housing committee found
U'm
"A thorough study has been made to
find out waat kind OF men were in con-
no. Of these apartments and the condi-
'oas % sanitation and upkeep under
which the greater part OF the working
pt2p.e % New York live. 1t was found
That great many OF these properties
nave fallen into the hands of absentee
landlords or lessees The latter are
ho'1ing the property. very often only for
short time, with the idea OF getting as
much out Of It as they can. In innum-
""'" cases II has been found that In
me same neighborhood the rents are
"gF'' under lessees than under owners.
Where Relief May he Obtained.
study also has been made OF the
ts1''" Co.! relief that mighe be obtained