New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-11
100000 Need
Apartments in
New York City
Chairman of Mayors Com
mittee Tells Senators
100000 Homes Is the
Present Shortage Here
Tax Exemption Plea Made
Would Check Expenditure
of 25,OOO,O 900 Planned
for Theater Buildings

The status, causes and suggestions
or the relief of the critical housing
situation were laid before tho Senate
Committee on Reconstruction and Pro-
iuction yesterday. The committee, of
which Senator William NJ. Calder, of
New York, is chairman, is meeting at
30 West Thirty ninth Street all this
week to consider various problems
.yrowing out of the war.
According to Frank Mann, chairman
Of the Mayors Housing Committee
and head of the Tenement House De-
partment, the latest revised figures
show there is shortage in this city
to-day of approximately 100000 regu-
lar housekeeping apartments. Count
ing on an average Of four persons to
the apartment. this would seem to in
dicate, he said that about 100000 per-
sons were improperly housed There
vas no sign Of any Improvement in
sight he declared, and expected by 1921
the city would be 10000 apartments
short.
Little relief would be had from the
500 tenement houses and 10000 one and
swo-family houses at present under con-
structian, he added, because these
would be offset to a great extent by the
large number of demolitions and con-
versions of other dwellings now in
progress.
Three Causes Given
1t was Mr.. Manns belief that the
conditions were mainly due to three
cause.-the shortage of money, the
high cost of materials and the shortage
and high cost of labor.
He suggested that to attract capital
to the building of houses it would be
necessary to give the investor some
struction enjoyed by dhe previous
builder. This idea, he said, could be
carried out by eXempting the tax on
mortgages. He said it was difficult for
the builder to obtain reasonable mort
cages on his projects, because the mort
gage market had been drained by other
Investments that were more valuable
because tax exempt.
Another way TO attract builders, he
thought, would be to exempt new
structures from local taxation for a
period of years until the crisis was
brldged. There would be no discrim-
nation in this because, he held, the
older buildings would be enjoying the
benefits of a lower cost of construc-
ton. He thought the rule, however,
should apply to dwellings, Of not less
than six families. The greatest need
OF the hour, he asserted, was the apart
ment for the workingman, renting from
$50 to $95 month, consisting of about
iour or five rooms and bath. Hun
dreds of such x-family houses were
now being built in Brooklyn and
Queens, he said and 1000 could be
speedily constructed if the money was
forthcoming. He estimated the cost of
such a house at between $4,000 and
$4,000, including the land.
Sees Danger in Unrest
Unless something were done at once
TO make investments in the building
OF houses more attractive, he declared,
the mortgage market would be de-
pleted and the situation made more
desperate. He said the financial in
terests should take the matter more
seriously. The condition was causing
a great deal of social unrest and if not
remedied, he said, may result in the
wealthy mans losing the enjoyment of
great part of his own wealth.
The men of Wall Street" said Mr..
Mann, should not consider the imme-
dlate returns during this crisis. Thew
should consider the greater results in
giving stability and contentment to
the laboring people. The problem
should not only interest the Spectator.
but should interest the entire com,
munity."
He advocated the formation Of local
housing boards, with powers during the
emergency to set aside restrictive
measures, SO that certain kinds Of
dwellings, might be altered to house
more families. He referred to the non
housekeeping or poodle dog" apart
ments, which arc not supposed to have
cooking facilities, but which are now
being secretly supplied with such ia
clhtles to meet the demand.
Millions for Theaters
Some provision, too, should be made,
he added, for the curtailment of non,
essential building, pointing to the fact
there are now on file plans for the con-
struction of $25,000,000 worth of tx
aters, and additional millions are to be
spent for other such projects
While Senator Calder declared it was
the disposition of Congress to hold off
on 1urther tax exemptions, Walter
Stabler, comptroller of the Metropolitan
Life Insurance Company, another wit
ness appearing before the committee.
maintained that exemption in this case
was absolutely necessary. II can't
+
Stabler, chat Congress should do
everything possible to obtain the ex-
emptlon on mortgages. AS an illustra-
tlon or what is happening | need only
to say that more than $4,000 900
worth OF mortgages have been trans
i is, within the last six months by
individuals and trustees in Manhattan
and the Bronx to savings banks. where
they escaped taxation"
p Rudolph Miller. Superintendent of
guiding Dulldings IN Manhattan; Edward P.
Doyle, secretary of the Mayors HOUSING
committee. and Martin H. Dodge, of thu
special housing committee of the Mer-
chants Association, were also heard bv
the committee. The next meeting of
the committee will be held tomorrow.
When Daniel Willard, president of the
baltimore & Ohio Railroad and chair
man Of the advisory committee Of the
Association of Railway Executives. will
be heard in the morning. and Otto
Kahn, banker, will talk about the trans
por'ation and financial phases Of re-
construction in tho oftor,oo,