The sun., 1919-04-13
NEW YORK NEEDS
100000 APARTMENTS
Building Has Not Kept Up With the
Growth of Population---Situation
Is Serious

quire additional housing accommodations
for at least 100000 people yearly re-
quiring at the rate at which people are
housed In New York city-namely. four
to an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. some
thing over $4,000 new apartments yearly.
According to official statistics gathered
by the tenement house. the Police De-
partment. also the Building and Tax
departments, there were 3e2 1000 build
ings in the city of New York in May.
1918, which could be used for residen-
tial purposes. The figures also Indicate
that there are on an average of eigh-
teen people under each roof. This aver
age represents all the one-famiiy houses
| IN Brooklyn and Queens, as we'll as the
large hotels These houses were d.
vided into four groups. as follows: First,
one-family house, IS per cent popula-
cent. population: third. tenements and
apartments. So per cent population |;
fourth, elevator apartments and hotels.
| 10 per cent. population.
| Under elevator apartments ana hotels
we have TO allow for the accommoda-
ton of all transients.
These figures are official statistics.
The third group. namely. that Of tens-
mets and apartments. are absolutely
! accurate because they are collected by
the tenement house department whose
statistics on the housing question are
most complete. SiNty-six per cent. OF
the population therefore of the entire
city are living IN fats and tenements
These figures were further checked by
census taken by the Police Department
In the month Of May, 1915. there were
$4,000 vacant apartments in the City
60 hxy
both the Police and Tenement House
departments In addition $4,000 new
apartments were erected by builders,
bringing the total supply Of available
space to $4,000 places OF living.
The builders always provided sut-
hcient space to take care OF the risin z
tide OF population. Thus in 1916 we
had n year and a half supply OF vacant
space TO provide for the growth OF the
city. Many experts on the subject be-
lleved that by reason of the war condi-
tons. tho city's normal growth would
be halted, but their reasoning has heen
proved to be wrong. The population
grew despite ali drawbacks. and the fact
that there has been no building OF
any consequence since 1915 is proved
by the overwhelming shortage when in
| it's last analysis Is only a matter of
arithmetic. There are not sufficient places
to live In because the normal sup
ply of new buildings during tho pm T
three years has not kept pace with the
growth of population.
That the housing shortage would be
serious problem was known to all who
studied the question. The official stats
tics gathered on May I. 1918, showed
that where there were 10000 vacancies
! In 1916. there were only $4,000 vacant
apartments In tenements In 1918. These
figures apply only to the tenement and
apartment population representing 6s
per cent. of the entire city. and proved
that during the two years of war. up TO
1918, the tenement house population
grew $4,000. These figures also proved
conclusively at that time that there
would be a shortage of at least 10000
apartments by Jan. /. 1919. and plus
the present demand, which by reason OF
the return OF those In military service IL
growing daily, and the 10000 which we
require normally. In addition TO the enor-
nous transient demand. we are faced
with the situation that there are ap-
lproXimately 100000 apartments wanted
in Nrw York city hy tho end Of The yea~
requiring housing facilities for 500, 600
people.