New-York tribune., 1919-04-11
Threats Of Strikes and
Pending Legislation
Fail TO Cheek Increase
in Apartment Rentals
Thousands Nav
Have to Leave City
Owners Declare They Are
Making Up for Losses
Incurred for the Year
Here is the acute housing problem:

Here is the acute housing problem:
New York's population includes
three families for every two apart
ments in the greater city.
The city's population is increasing
At the approximate rate of $50, 900
annually.
Building operations are at a stand
still.
Apartments are going TO the high
est bidder.
Thousands of families probably
will have to seek homes outside the
city within the next few months be-
cause of their inability to meet the
constantly soaring scale of rentals.
Many New York family is paying
one half of its total income for the
roof over its head.
Pending legislation aimed at apart
ment proiiteers, threats of rent strikes
and other drastic action to halt the
soaring of prices have failed to check
rent increases Experts who have been
asked what can be done about it only
snake their heads and give one-word
iepg: "Nothing.'
A Landlords Year
The dag an apartment becomes va
ant it Immediately goes upon the auc-
tion block From ten to twenty pro-
spective tenants bid for it.
Its landlords year say the
apartment owners.
For a long time tenants have had
everything their way
Rents are now actually dispos
sessng tenants. In many cases the
rental is so disproportionate to their
earnings that for tenants to pay them
would mean sacrificing other essen
tials of ,;fe
In New York City rent averages
have doubled in four years. Owners
no longer figure rent on a basis Of
Investment and real estate values. The
maximum Is represented by the will
ingness or ability of the tenant to pay.
Congestion Is Acute
The congestion among the apartment
dNelers is most acute, of course, in
Manhattan. Here every known make
shift has been resorted TO in an effort
20 provide roofs for the increasing
population. Lofts that once housed
garment makers and manufacturing in
stitutons have been hurriedly convert
ed into apartments. Such arrange
ments admittedly are but temporary.
and the tenant does not ask for new
decorations, luxuries and comforts that
ne once required before making an in
!tiai payment on lease But they fur
n'sh places to live and are welcome TO
the tired and desparing home hunter
nul the Bronx IS almost as oyerpop- ,
aiated as Manhattan Many apartments
hoid lWo families. and a "for rent"
s'sn IS almost unknown. Nearly every
oui,alng superintendent has a private
ls'sltlhg list, the prospective tenants
Hsled navng agreed privately, Of
course to pay him a bonus # he gives
mem first information as 70 APART
Asn's about to be vacated.
me desperation Of those who are
.snhg piaccs to live is reflected in ad-
easements that cover every possible
s@,usion OF the problem. Many short
.4ss 70 comfortable homes appear TO
a's Deen devised, but with only oues-
unable success. From so 10 $50 in
sgnoses wi, nave been offered to those who
an Hnd acceptable apartments for /
t.a tms applicants, other advertisements /
as.' aa's asked for householders who would !
ssf cooperative plan under which
o.. . 9' more renters might erect their |
'"a buildings.
Brooklyn Filled. Too
ssetner Brooklyn nor Queens can
80. l.a 'etlei Tor the overflow from Man
s.e1h and The Bronx because both 7,
s.aougns are flied 10 their capacity I
~. Even far out into the suburbs ,
of ts ishe conditions prevail. in many /
sas outlying districts houses are
.l1s withdrawn from renting lists in +
s' prices. '"'' a. '"''e"iu
yss,sse yssnse of these conditions. investi-
'.n ~ has shown, many building own
t,s.s s's iayinY their plans for new in ,
.o.,,ss1. well managed, well filled /
sx.suaheh' nouses that once were ex-
cons ~. % pay maximum Of ~ per
aS'nsnds nov are bringing their +
ns,s ns tnree times that figure and ,
ri. rfccnt advertisement offered for
stt nysc. .hab promised 10 pay /
r0h' OF ~ per cent on total /
ss.s,asn' Of $4,000. One uptown
tft"sn' tfs mem agent boasted that all Of
s..aIininys IN his control were being
tssf s On basia that nettcd 30 per
SsShts annually 20 their owners
Sssv ohesr OF large insurance com.
sfsx.. IseentiJ sounded warming to +
'ssxgs..y owners against the abuse of
sf present power - eztort unheard
sAiess' s'ohW, M Not only rent strikes,
assIss mignt readily be controlled but
sIsn<s. apnsayals that would result in
besnxss ana great property Joss were
isas..sa at possible results Of con
! taat 1T of 4 policy Of charging "all
sHe fss3ie would stand"
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sMHss.slAs srJESCE LEx,TCHY. gory,,
Asrk5tsr ~. y 81, NAyGHDAY - Deliysysd by
4&k& q ~ Eeafd II 1<etlisaelflr. 81 a41 ssaAa.