Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-04-21
MANY CITIES REPORT
SHORTAGE OF HOUSES
Probe of Rent Profteerng Starts in New York While
Building Campaigns Are Being Advocated
Throughout Nation.

NEW YORK. April 2o.-Three COM
mittecs arc to meet tomorrow to
formulate Joint program for the cam
paign against the rent profitccrs whose
gouEing tactics have added almost in
supportable burdens TO the cost OF liv-
ing.
The committees to meet tomorrow
arc tho Mayors committee on pro-
fitccring. the welfare committee of the
committee Of the State Reconstruction
Commission. The latter has begun a
o Be of the hs While sS s,se is
Operations of the profitecrs have
been most giarinE in Harlem and the
crcascs since January /. in many cases
have ranged from sio TO sis month
i for ordinary ;Iros apartments ru In many
cent have been reported.
Hundreds OF dispossess notices have
been served on tenants unwilling or
many have already been. elected under
the terms Of the law which requires
only five days notice on the part of
The situation has become so serious
that meetings TO consider the problem
the Bronx and committees have been
appointed to devise means of relief.
PITTSBURGH RENTS RAISED
AND HOMES ARE FILLED
PITTSBURGH. PA. April 2o.-Wiih
moving day less than two weeks away
thousands of pttsburghers. unable to
find single house awaiting an ocCu-
pant. have visions of camping on the
curbstoncs despite the fact that one Of
tho biggest building programs in the
speed ahead. But the dwellings, under
CONSTRUCTION will not be completed for
several months and little relief is cN-
pccted before next July.
1t is estimated that between fifty
and sevcnty-iive thousand persons in
Allegheny County will raca,c their
are forced out because the houses they
now occupy have been sold. Others
arc moving as result OF the big boost
in rents. Increases range as high as
The City Council conducted public
investigation of the increased rents.
but no action was taken on the matter.
According to officials of Pittsburgh
storage houses. every inch OF storage
house is occupied or booked.
DENVER Is STRUGGLING
TO MEET HOUSING CALL.
DENVER. colo. April 2o,-The
come weil-nigh desperate. There are
no habitablc houses for rent, yet a
steadily increasing influx of newcom-
ers are dancing attendance upon dis
nothing to offer All the apartment
house agencies have waiting lists OF
prospective tenants for more than Il
year. and there is no indication that
the situation can improve for several
months.
The lack of sufficient housing accom-
notation for the city'S own people. ag-
Gravated by the demands of newcom-
crs. has sent rents rocketing. During
the past year rents have increased
from - TO 30 per cent with prospects
Of further advances.
The buying, market is more active
than for ten years but the supply is
unequal TO the demand.
y home owner campaign. to stimu.
late building, is under way. sponsored
by the real estate exchanges, archi-
tects, the building material industries
and professional men generally. and
has met with quick response. The
building activities have not yet started
on a large scale, but there are pros
poets of widespread home building
development during the summer and
fall, which will eclipse such activities
of all previous years.