New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-29
Plan Launched
To Modernizc
Old Tenen1ents

Continued from Mrs% Page
arouse interest in rebuilding, and II
that is successful to carry the work
forward wherever possible.
The judges have asked competitors
especially to provide themselves with
the details, to be printed in pamphlet
form.
Here is the purpose ~ set forth by
the Judges:
"The remodeling of characteristic
old tenement block, so as to make it a
decent place to live in. The object is
twofold First, to find the best method
of improving living conditions in the
old law tenements without entirely de-
stroying the buildings; second, to find
plan of remodeling that will encour.
age aYch alterations by the demonstra-
ton of it's economic wisdom and the
value that will come from the improve
ment. The relation of costs to results
obtained will be 81 predominating factor
in determining judgment.
"The purpose Of the competition is
to find solutions that will be applicable
not only to the block which is the sub
ject of the study, but to similar blocks
throughout the city. 1t is COMPETE
ton of ideas as we'll as design.
"'Phe remodeling of one house in
bad environment is Of little value The
i is of real r value. But the solution Of
the problem Of the block as a whole
would be Of the maximum value to the
tenants, owners, the neighborhood and
the community. Competitors may, how
ever, decide what size units, what type
and size Of tenement, apartments, rooms,
environment for decent living and at
the same time the most practical result
as to plan, management and financing.
"These should not fall below the
standard of the tenement house law in
regard to sanitation, lighting, ventla-
ton and safety. However, the competi-
tor should be guided by the spirit, not
the letter, of the law"
Lewisohn Without Rooms
Landlords have no sympathy with
members of the Mayors Committee on
Rent Profteerng, according to Solo
mon A. Lewisohn, assistant chairman.
Mr.. Lewisohn lives at 100 Wadsworth
Avenue with his son. He has been
unable to obtain sufficient rooms there,
so that his wife and daughter have had
to go to Delaware County to live.
"The landlords, because of my connec
ton with the Mayors committee, seem
to have it in for me-" said Mr.. Levi
sohn yesterday. 81 have been on the
verge of signing leases seven different
times, but on each occasion the land
lord has suffered change of heart.
at has been my pleasure to be justly
severe with profteering landlords, and
the tip seems to have gone around that
l would make an objectionable tenant.
Anyway, as soon as landlord finds out
that Pm from the Mayors committee
it's all off. AS such official I've gotten
good quarters at reasonable rental even
for scrappy couples, so its's funny that
a man so happily married and officially
circumstanced as myself must be sepa
rated from his wife because he can't
get adequate rooms for himself and
family"
Realty Boards Warning
Asserting that unless rent profiteer
ing bills about to be passed by the
Legislature are amended they will
tend to emphasize the present stagna-
ton in building, make the plight of
tenants more difficult and glut the
courts with litigation, the Real Estate
BoA1d, through Richard o. Chittick, its
secretary, last night made public a
memorial addressed to the Assembly.
The memorial states:
Legislature emphasis was laid on the
need of making some tangible provision
for new buildings. This is the only
real solution of the housing situation.
Except as hereinafter mentioned,
none Of the pending bills contains any
provisions whatever tending to en-
courage new construction, but on the
contrary several of them place serious
obstacles in the way of resumption
OF building activity.
"1he exception above indicated is
the proposed exemption of the interest
on mortgages from the provisions of
the state income tax law. But even
in This case the exemption will be en-
tirely Intellectual unless it is unlimited
as to principal amount and applies to
uni1nproved as we'll as to improved real
estate.
THE Real Estate Board at the hear
iEg on March % before the Joint Com
mittee on Cities upon the so-called rent
bills submitted formal recommends
ton that each of such measures be
amended to exempt from it's applca-
ticn flats and apartments contained in
buildings hereafter constructed or sub
stantially reconstructed for dwelling
purposes.
"This proposition was urged upon the
ground that it is imperative that new
constructions should be relieved of the
restrictions of the pending housing
bills, i'll order that builders and CAPT
talsts might be encouraged to brave
the serious hazards of the existing
labor and building material markets.
To do this adequate returns must be
assured.
"This suggestion has been entirely
ignored by the Joint Committee on
Cities.
See Defects in Bills
"2. In numerous instances the rent
paid for living quarters a year ago was |
under lease made several years pre- |
viously, and it would be unjust to pre-
scribe that at the expiration of the !
term of such lease the rent could not
be increased to a reasonable amount i
or such as would be allowed for like
dwelling space even in the same build |
ing.
For this reason the board suggested
that in cases in which the occupancy
at date one year prior to the com
mencement of the action was under a
Lease for term of more than one ycar
beginning prior to May /, 1919, tho
premises should be exempted from the
application of the proposed legislation.
"3. These bills, if enacted, would af
feet the obligation of contract for the