South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-18
ARMY TENTS USED
IN new YORK TO
REPLACE HOUSES
Housing Crisis in Eastern
Metropolis Causes War
Department Action.

NEW YORK. April 17.-Thou-
sands OF New York families. some or
the 1915 registered as homeless
by the Tenement House Department,
are expected 70 live IN tents furnish
ed by the United States army until
the present housing dearth Is rem
edied. according 20 men interested
In the building trade here. Just
where they will locate their new
domiciles has not yet been decided
~gents "mObillzcd." as ~ were. over
might In Greater New York. has vast
acreages OF vacant land q lease IN
four Of the five bOrOughs.
From ! 500 to 1000 families will
live in tents IN Pelham Bay Park
alone" declared Walter 9. Martin.
superintendent Of the Bronx Tene-
ment House Department. and
have no doubt but that many other
sections will have whole colonies OF
tent jewellers after May /. In view
- the anticipated increased demand
for tentage. especially BY envicted
families, 1 shall write 70 the War
Department for sufficient canvas 20
meet all possible need IN the Bronx
More Difficulties Expected.
On top Of the present housing
shortage looms the prospect Of the
usual horde OF pleasure seekers,
many OF them with abundant war
profits or earnings. who are coming
10 the metropolis for their summer
outing Some OF these will offer
landlords attractive prices for tenn
porary quarters and, where tenants
are occupying apartments from
month 20 month and paying exor-
bitant rents. the result Is expected
10 be an increased number OF evic-
lions on May l and June !.
Evasion Of the anti-rent prOfiteer-
ing laws recently passed at Albany
is a common charge In many cases
against landlords up for trial in the
Municipal Courts. Thousands OF
tenement owners 10 circumvent
the law which compels the land
lords 20 prove their rights TO raise
rents more than % percent a year,
have notified tenants 70 vacate their
property by September 1. Then they
plan TO rent the apartments 10 the
highest bidders.
Startling Statistics.
An indication OF the competition
for shelter IN New York Is afforded
by the Tenement Mouse Department
figures which show that. due 10
light building and the remodelling
OF One-time tenements into more
profitable business structures, there
are today actually fewer apartments
in the city than there were this time
year ago. on January l, 1919 there
were 9S3.139 living apartments In
New York. large enough approx
mately for 3.931.704 persons. I'm
der the law, II must be remembered.
"A tenement may mean building
u Ia MI "a
lower East Side. Since January 1,
the city has had an estimated in
crease OF 538.6O4 in population but
the building construction which has
been done since that date is suffi-
cient 20 house only 465, $50 persons,
according TO the real estate board.
Meanwhile the war is over and
trainloads OF OIL steel. lumber and
automobile men and thousands OF
other prosperous Americans are
said 10 be planning &c invade the
Great White Way. Trainloads al
ready have arrived For the most OF
them II will be no short vacation.
Many are bringing their families
lind they are prepared 10 pay fancy
prices for accommodations. All Of
which gives JOY TO the landlord and
real estate dealer who see visions
OF a bountiful harvest
SO while tired mothers with babies
in arms, leave baby carriages outside
courtroom doors, and with worried
husbands plead against eviction from
their homes the magistrates after
granting them temporary stays, post
pone the hearings 20 read up on
the new legislation put through al
Albany. And while Mayor Hylan'
committee struggle for a solution OF
tbe cOunDIicated problem. city mar
shals accuse each other OF prOfiteer-
ing in the eviction cases. Hundreds
of men. said 20 be without authority
were also reported posing as mar
shaIs' and serving dispossesSion no
tees some OF them earning as
high as 1900 a month.