Introduction
This chapter provides a summary of all that you have read from Riis. He provides an overview of where we have come from and leaves us the question of "where are we going?"
Chapter 25: How the Case Stands
Riis states the problems that are affecting the tenements and essentially the city:
(paraphrased)
1. growing population of wage earners that need adequate wage earners provided for by the city
2. the current population is not housed decently
3. the problem needs to be dealt with now, with planning for the future. The idea of a "suburb" is a utopian idea and as such
impracticable at the present time
4. the current population should pay a rent amount that is reasonable for the accomodations
5. the laziness of city officials is the reason for the current state of tenements
6. for security's sake of both the tenement dwellers and the privaleged sanitary, moral and reasonably priced housing must be provided
7. the wage earning population will pay for such housing
8. the tenements are not going away so the solution must be reached with the tenements as part of the solution
Riis states the problems of the tenement cannot be solved as one landlord, on Mott Street, attempted: a coat of paint and tin plating with fancy lettering over the rotten wood and brick. There are, however, effective ways to improve the tenements:
1. by law
2. by remodeling and making the most out of the old houses
3. by building new, model tenments
(paraphrased)
1. growing population of wage earners that need adequate wage earners provided for by the city
2. the current population is not housed decently
3. the problem needs to be dealt with now, with planning for the future. The idea of a "suburb" is a utopian idea and as such
impracticable at the present time
4. the current population should pay a rent amount that is reasonable for the accomodations
5. the laziness of city officials is the reason for the current state of tenements
6. for security's sake of both the tenement dwellers and the privaleged sanitary, moral and reasonably priced housing must be provided
7. the wage earning population will pay for such housing
8. the tenements are not going away so the solution must be reached with the tenements as part of the solution
Riis states the problems of the tenement cannot be solved as one landlord, on Mott Street, attempted: a coat of paint and tin plating with fancy lettering over the rotten wood and brick. There are, however, effective ways to improve the tenements:
1. by law
2. by remodeling and making the most out of the old houses
3. by building new, model tenments
Bibliography
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.