The progressives and the slums: tenement house reform in New York City, 1890-1917

Abstract

"The Progressives and the Slums chronicles the reform of tenement housing, where some of the worst living conditions in the world existed. Roy Lubove focuses his study on New York City, detailing the methods, accomplishments, and limitations of housing reform at the turn of the twentieth century. The book is based in part on personal interviews with, and the unpublished writings of Lawrence Veiller, the dominant figure in housing reform between 1898 and 1920. Lubove views Veiller's role, surveys developments prior to 1890, and views housing reform within the broader context of progressive-era protest and reform"--Back of cover.

Contents

The origins of tenement reform, 1830-1865 -- The tenement comes of age, 1866-1890 -- Jacob A. Riis: portrait of a reformer -- The Tenement House Committee of 1894 -- Lawrence Veiller and the New York Tenement House Commission of 1900 -- The age of Veiller -- The professional good neighbor -- Progressivism, planning and housing -- Appendices I. Tenement houses and population in Manhattan, 1864 -- II. Population, acreage and density in Manhattan, 1880, 1894. Number of tenements in Manhattan, 1893 -- III. Tenements, tenement population, ethnic distribution and ward boundaries in Manhattan, 1900 -- IV. Tenements and tenement population in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Richmond, 1900 -- V. Estimated population of Manhattan tenements, December 31, 1916 -- Tenements in Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Richmond, January 1, 1917 -- VII. Tenement court dimensions recommended by the Tenement House Commission of 1900 -- VIII. Floor plans of four tenements showing use of court space -- IX. Map of Manhattan Island showing ward and tenement house districts.