New-York tribune., 1919-05-15
New Housing Crisis
Feared i'm October;
Building Declines
Construction of Apartments,
Especially i'll The Bronx,
Falls Behind Growth of
the City's Population

During brief lull in the landlord
tenant warfare here yesterday, atten-
tion of Municipal court justices, tax
payers associations and borough Of
ficials was turned to the probable
housing situation next autumn. Sta
tistics were produced showing that
new construction work is falling be-
hind the increase in population, espe-
cially in The Bronx. tt was agreed
that the city will be confronted by a
housing crisis in October
Patrick j. Reville, Superintendent of
Buildings of The Bronx, declared last
night that new buildings to be ready
in his borough by October will accom-
population by that time, he calcula ated
from the Board of Health's statistics,
will be 10000 people, or 6,000 families.
lie said that the present situation is
mild compared to conditions vet to be
faced
Not only are soldiers coming back.
looking for quiet domestic life" he
SAID. but thousands of suburban resi-
dents will be pouring into the city.
Their leases will expire in October,
and although they have been commut-
ing for years, they will decide that
raj lroad fares are too high and will
seek city homes
Seven Months to Build
at takes seven months to build an
apartment house. Even f builders
were to commence working now, the
houses could not be ready by fall"
lie strongly advocated the passage
of the Dodge bill at special session
of the Legislature. This bill provides
for the conversion Of private houses
into residences for three families
The effect Of the war restrictions on
building and the consequent shortage
OF houses is clearly illustrated by fig
ures compiled by Mr.. Reville. During
the first four months Of 1914, 2l5 plans
were submitted and 2S3 buildings were
completed, representing cost of
S5,945,730. Figures for the first four
months of the last three years are:
Number Number
of Plans of Bldgs. Cost.
1@1S. 1sl ......... ~ 2so ss,ss7,775
1919. 1919 1S7 g ~ y a,s1isGS !sIi sGS
Only nineteen brick tenements have
been completed during the first four
months of this year, while but fourteen
plans have been submitted. In 1913 the
brick tenement totals were but four
teen constructed and eight plans sub
mltted. In 1914 ninety-seven apart
ment houses were completed and sixty
one plans submitted. The gain in pop
ulation, however, has been steady. at
4O,OOO year.
mo Relief in Sight
Municipal Court Justice Michael J.
Scanlan declared he "can see no relief
in sight" Immediate construction on
large scale is the city's only hope Of
escaping a crisis, he said The strained
relations between landlords and tenants
are being relieved, ne said, and the
number of court cases will gradually
grow fewer.
special committee on rent
profiteering of the Washington Heights
Taxpayers Association reported yes
terday that an invest: cation shows that
lessees of houses are chiefly respon-
slble for public belief that landlords
are all rrcfiteers. The two reasons
cited for the lack of building opera
tons are the fear by buildeds htat they
Will be called profiteers if they charge
Justltlable, but high rents and the
hesltancy of banks and title companies
to make building loans.
An increase of 20 per cent in rents.
the committee reports, is justified by
the advance in the cost of maintaining
buildings. Two resolutions are rec.
commended for adoption. They include
plea to house owners to refrain from
raising rents unfairly and an urgent
request to title companies to invest
IN building. A suggestion is made
that Legislation be enacted making all
new buildings completed for occupancy
before October 1, 1920, exempt from
taSatlon 'aS until January 1, 1924, as an
lnducement to builders"