BEFORE
"Long ago it was said that 'one half of the world does not know how the other half lives.' That was true then. It did not know because it did not care. The half that was on top cared little for the struggles, and less for the fate, of those who, were underneath, so long as it was able to hold them there and keep its own seat."
-Jacob A. Riis
Before the public housing system, there were no places where one could rent a space to live in. There also weren't many big buildings, so construction requirements were minimal.
-Jacob A. Riis
Before the public housing system, there were no places where one could rent a space to live in. There also weren't many big buildings, so construction requirements were minimal.
DURING
During the tenement housing
era, there were many people in poverty; therefore, the tenements were very low class and quite unhealthy to live
in. For example, the tenants would drink water from the faucets that were connected
to the sewage pipes in the outhouse. Tenants generally worked in their homes which were actually sweatshops. They received very small pay and what they did receive barely covered their rent, leaving little to no money for clothes, food, and other necessities. While the tenement crisis was worsening, very few people tried to help the immigrants in distress, until Jacob A. Riis photographed the harsh living conditions and released his images to the public. That began the fight for tolerable living conditions in the New York tenements.
AFTER
After tenement housing, people began to build their own homes or apartments. They built in and out of the city. Bigger lots were used and the tenements were discontinued. By 1928 over 6% of all tenements were deserted. The conditions in the tenements sparked the rise of legislation to protect the rights of tenants. The health and safety codes improved a great amount. The design of new public housing also bettered.