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30
HOUSING
The Housing duties of this Department are divided between
action under the Housing Act in regard to insanitary, unfit,
or overcrowded premises, and enquiries from the London
County Council, the Council's Housing Manager, and other
authorities in connection with priority recommendations for
applicants living in overcrowded or insanitary conditions, or
for reasons of medical necessity.
The continued shortage of housing accommodation has
again resulted in an increase in the number of applications.
Unfortunately there is still relatively very little progress in
rehousing, even of these priority cases, and even less hope for
the many more whose need for better housing on sociological
• grounds is hardly less urgent.
Another serious factor is the obvious influx of persons into
the Borough—as revealed by the considerable increase in
population figures despite the lower birth rate—which is
making it impossible to reduce overcrowding figures.
1947 1948 1949
Cases investigated on overcrowding,
medical, and sanitary grounds 933 1,450 1,669
Number of visits involved 1,263 1,814 2,298
Medical.
In dealing with the increased number of housing applicants
submitting medical certificates for priority recommendation,
regard has to be made to the general housing shortage, and the
most careful scrutiny of each case is therefore necessary.
Applicants suffering from diseases affecting the heart, rheumatism,
congenital deformities, etc., who are housed in top storey
dwellings are recommended for accommodation on a lower
floor. Tuberculosis patients are recommended for rehousing
in the outer London area, where the cleaner air is more conducive
to their recovery. Cases of bronchitis are numerous,
and where housed in damp dwellings they are also recommended
for rehousing.
There have been numerous cases seeking recommendation
on grounds of neurosis and associated nervous conditions.
From consultations with local doctors, it would appear that
approximately one-third of their patients under treatment are
suffering from some form of nervous condition due to their
housing problems. This is a most serious prospect, but unfortunately
again so many cases with more serious diseases
require rehousing that special recommendations can be made
only in extreme instances of mental debility, aggravated by
their environmental conditions.