housing problem in this city, and this, not along experimental lines, but by methods successfully adopted during many years by most of the European countries, including France, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Norway and Sweden, is herewith submitted by one of the members of the committee and presented in this report for the purpose of arousing criticism and discussion. As pointed out by Commissioner Meeker, the most important of the methods of Government aid is that of loans to prospective builders for use in erecting model tenement houses. Ordinarily these loans are to public welfare building associations, in which the dividends to stockholders are limited. The plan proposed for adoption in the City of Boston is, in brief, as follows: 1. A fund shall be established by the City of Boston, by borrowing through the medium of bond issue at a rate of 4 per cent or 44 per cent, the proceeds of which shall be loaned out by a commission of five to be established, and to be known as Housing Council. 2. Such loans shall be made to public welfare building associations, or to any other agencies that may satisfy the Housing Council of their good purpose and ability, upon the security of mortgages on the land and the buildings to be constructed. 3. Such loans should be made at a rate which will encourage the building of these houses, approximating, as nearly as may be, the rate at which the money is obtained by the city. 4. In order to constitute a real encouragement the loan should be for a term of not less than ten years, and for as many years in addition up to a total term of twenty-five years as conditions may determine. 5. For the purpose of safeguarding the security of the loan, however, it is necessary that provisions be made for its compulsory reduction after five years, at the approximate rate of 2 per cent each year thereafter. Such a Housing Council may be constituted in connection with the present City Planning Board, now engaged in the work of planning the improvement and development of the city. The work of the Housing Council should, of course, be consistent with the policies of the Planning Board. Such a Housing Council may be composed of five members, of whom wo, the chairman and secretary, may receive salaries. One of the members should represent real estate interests, one banking and one social welfare. Further details of the plan would of course be settled in working out the statute, or regulations under a statute, to accomplish the purposes indicated. The experience of European countries in which similar plans have been successfully used should prove of great value. RECOMMENDATION No. 7.- ORGANIZED DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC INTEREST IN HEALTH AND HOUSING. The committee makes its report with the frank admission that the housing problem has not been considered in all its aspects. Many matters which affect housing, but which cannot be covered by the law offered by the committee, might properly be included under the general supervision of the City Planning Board. One of these matters is an evil which sometimes results from the building of dwellings on streets which have not already been laid out and approved. Another concerns the intrusion of business buildings or multiple dwellings into blocks of one and two family houses. The recommendation is therefore made that the City Planning Board be enlarged to include a subcommittee on housing composed of members especially qualified to study the whole housing problem in its larger aspects and to formulate at a later day a definite progressive policy covering both maintenance, construction and financing. Such a policy cannot be formulated, however, unless there be at the outset a frank admission of the city's past failure to give this whole matter that measure of intelligent and sympathetic consideration which it deserves. Modern legislation in the matter of the manufacture and sale of food not only forbids the sale of unwholesome food, it also prescribes that even good food shall be prepared and sold under clean and hygienic conditions. This legislation, very fortunately, has behind it the full weight of an enlightened public opinion. May we expect less consideration and less enthusiastic support from the public for so important a matter as the housing of the people? It should not be possible for profit to be realized from the rental of cheap, brokendown, ill-equipped dwellings that are a constant menace to health and a stumbling block to family life any more than from the sale of unwholesome or ill-prepared foods. Boston is not now lacking so much in a housing law as it is in a housing spirit. Many of the dwellings in this city, more especially the dwellings of the poor, are owned by those who have very little interest in such property beyond its earning power. A city that depends so much for the homes of its people upon speculative builders and owners for investment must find some other way to make the investment profitable for the owners. than at the expense of the homes and the health and comfort of its people. Boston capital has financed the development and improvement of the West, cannot some of it be devoted to the improvement and development of housing at home? Here is a chance for local loyalty and well directed public spirit. In order that there may be an organized development of public interest in health and housing the committee believes that a publicity bureau might well be established in the Health Department for the promotion, by educational methods, of wholesome standards of property maintenance on the part of both owners and tenants. Such a bureau might well make use of civic organizations and groups of citizens of alien birth for the spread of its propaganda. In addition to statutory regulations governing the construction and maintenance of dwellings there is need, and it is a very urgent need, of a much livelier and more intelligent interest on the part of the general public in health and housing. The policy of state and city in this matter has been heretofore almost exclusively devoted to the punishment of infractions of the law. This negative policy while not devoid of good results is not enough. Is it not time to deal with this whole problem in a larger way, by the adoption of some definitely positive program which shall have the advantage and encouragement of an enlightened public opinion. behind it? Boston has had similar housing committees before, and each in its turn has contributed something toward the improvement of the local housing situation. But Boston has yet to experience in behalf of good housing the thrill of a united public sentiment. We need this sentiment if we are to make progress. Housing in its larger aspect is a very human sort of problem. For its best expression there is required something more than building codes and that something is the backing of a wholesome public opinion. SUPPLEMENTARY RECOMMENDATION. NO MORE WOODEN THREE-DECKERS, BUT NONCOMBUSTIBLE WALLS WITH WOODEN PORCHES IF DESIRED. What is the Advantage of the Wooden "Three-Decker" Multiple Dwelling? It furnishes reasonably sanitary, well-lighted, wellventilated homes at low rents. Persons of small capital can invest in them when they cannot afford to take the risk of larger and more expensive buildings. What are the Disadvantages? The usual wooden "three-decker" is cheaply built and therefore deteriorates rapidly. After the first few years it is apt to be neglected both by owner and tenant. It is unsightly. When a great number of these buildings cover a district all other property tends to depreciate in the vicinity. And there is of necessity a constant fire risk in such a district. What is the Substitute? Noncombustible walls, or second-class construction. With the increasing cost of lumber this type of building will not be of much greater cost at the outset. At the end of fifteen years the second-class building will be worth far more than the wooden building and will have before it a much longer future. Wooden piazzas or porches may be added to brick or concrete buildings for comfort and beauty. A type of dwelling can be provided which is a benefit to landlord, tenant and community as well. The committee offers herewith an amendment to the present building law forbidding the future erection of multiple dwellings of third-class construction.* CHARLES LOGUE, Chairman, J. RANDOLPH COOLIDGE, JR., EDWARD F. MCGRADY, REV. MICHAEL J. SCANLAN, JAMES SOLOMONT, EDWARD H. CHANDLER, Secretary, Committee on Housing. Mr. VINCENT BROGNA, who is also a member of the committee, submitted a dissenting report. *Printed as House Bill 1076. APPENDIX A. No. 101 Z street was complained of in December, 1915, and again in July, 1916. There were two unventilated bedrooms, three insufficiently ventilated bedrooms, two unventilated water-closets. when revisited in the spring of 1918. yet. Nothing done In the neighboring house, 103 Z street, health inspector reported in September, cellar and yard filthy, no proper receptacles for ashes and garbage; three notices sent to the owner, two of them requiring the work to be done within twenty-four hours. Not until October 30 was some cleaning done and some receptacles were furnished and others promised. No. 70 F street, 2 O place, 14 L street, water-closets defective and unfit for use; have been reported repeatedly during from two to four and a half years with consequent inspections by the Health Department but no improvement of the conditions. 44 AND 44A J STREET. Not According to Plans. 1. Shaft is in different place. 2. 3. 4. Inner court is narrower. In No. 44, window in each hall is in a different place. 5. One apartment, instead of two, on each floor of No. 44. Violations. Shaft has no intake. Basement stairs and exit not fireproof in No. 44A. of intake cannot be opened. 1. 2. 3. t 4. No yard for either house. 5. Inner court only 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet wide, and 6. 7. Shaft is smaller than law requires. On each floor the windows of the two stair halls |