Tenement Housing Act
In the 1800s, Urbanization occurred as more and more people began crowding into
America's cities, including thousands of newly arrived immigrants seeking a better life than the
one they had left behind in Europe. In New York City--where the population doubled every
decade from 1800 to 1880--buildings that had once been single-family homes often held multiple
families to accommodate this growing population. Known as tenements, these narrow, low-rise
apartment buildings--many of them concentrated in the city's Lower East Side neighborhood-were often cramped, poorly lit and had no indoor plumbing or proper ventilation. By 1900, some
2.3 million people (a full two-thirds of New York City's population) were living in tenement
housing.
1910 Tenement Housing Act
The law that had the greatest impact on these tenements (apartments) was the Tenement
House Act of 1901. This law rose as a result of rapidly deteriorating conditions. The Act
basically outlawed the construction of new tenements on 25-foot wide lots, required improved
sanitary arrangements, access to light and mandated (forced) changes in pre-existing tenements.
Parts of the Act
1) Hallways had to have enough light in them to read without the aid of artificial lights.
2) Owners were required to provide a light near the stairs on both the first and second floors.
3) Owners had to create a skylight over the top of stairs.
4) All bedrooms were required to have a 3’ x 5’ window or larger, that could be opened and
closed.
5) An air shaft was built for ventilation into each apartment. This allowed air to flow in and
out.
6) One bathroom with a toilet connected to the sewer system was required for every two
families.
7) Metal fire escapes had to be added to all tenement buildings.
Electricity did NOT have to be added to the buildings until 1918. Landlords were not
happy about paying for the changes and often took the city to court. But, the new law did make
housing safer for millions of people and similar reforms happened around the world.In the 1800s,
Urbanization occurred as more and more people began crowding into America's cities,
including thousands of newly arrived immigrants seeking a better life than the one they had left
behind in Europe.
1. Why did immigrants leave Europe? To
______________________________________.
In New York City buildings that had once been single-family homes often held more than
one family. The buildings were known as tenements or narrow, low-rise apartment buildings.
2. What are narrow low-rise apartment buildings? ____________________________
Tenement Housing Act
These tenements were often cramped, poorly lit and had no indoor plumbing or proper
ventilation. By 1900, some 2.3 million people in New York City were living in tenement
housing.
3. How many people in New York lived in tenements? ___________________
1910 Tenement Housing Act
The law that made tenements (apartments) safer was the Tenement House Act of 1901.
4. What law made tenements safer? ___________________________________________
Parts of the Act:
1) Owners were required to provide a light near the stairs on both the first and second floors.
How does this help people? ___________________________________
2) All bedrooms were required to have a 3’ x 5’ window or larger, that could be opened and
closed.
How does this help people? ___________________________________
3) Metal fire escapes had to be added to all tenement buildings.
How does this help people? ___________________________________
5. Which part would help people the most AND why?
The part of the Tenement Act that would help people the most said
________________________
________________________________ because ______________________________________.