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South side of Vincent Street, however, are almost completed. The
two blocks contain 2 four-room, 24 three-room, 22 two-room and 22
single-room dwellings, but it should be remarked that even single-room
flats each contain a kitchen, which is virtually an additional room, with
bath and all conveniences and a separate w.c. for each tenant. The rent
for a single room flat will be from 4s. 5d. to 5s. 7d., inclusive of rates, and
is based on the rent charged for similar accommodation in the Council's
existing dwellings, as provided in the Millbank Improvement Act. It is
very doubtful if similar accommodation could be secured at such a low
rent anywhere else in central London or even in the County of London.
An immense amount of information relating to housing conditions
has been obtained through the investigations of applications for dwellings
in the Council's new schemes. It was mentioned last year that these
investigations were undertaken on behalf of the Housing Committee,
the purpose being that the grounds on which the applicant urged his
claim, whether it was overcrowding or other unsatisfactory conditions,
should be investigated by trained observers. The sanitary inspectors
thus visit the houses of the applicants and report in each case as to
urgency or necessities.
To the 31st December, 1929, 728 applications had been investigated,
and of these overcrowding of varying intensity was found in 129. Other
insanitary conditions such as the illegal occupation of basement rooms
occurred in 28. The applications have been graded as to priority on
sanitary considerations, and the Housing Committee in due course will
examine these applications, paying regard to the number of rooms
required, desirability of tenants, and ability to pay rent for improved
accommodation. The average number of housing applications dealt
with by the public health department amounts roughly to 18 per week.
Within the last month or two, one has been struck with the high proportion
of applications from people who have been resident in the City only one
or two years. These amount almost to 40 per cent. of the later applications.
It is curious after hearing so much of house shortage in Westminster
to find that people from other districts were able to obtain rooms in the
City, and after residing a year or two were sufficiently established to lodge
their applications as "old Westminster residents." Another interesting
feature is that the applications examined during the past 3 or 4 months
show a great falling off in the proportion of badly overcrowded cases or
those otherwise urgently requiring better accommodation. At an earlier
period, almost 90 per cent. of the applications received indicated overcrowding
or other definitely insanitary conditions of occupation.
A much more urgent problem has presented itself during the year
concerning the occupation of working-class dwellings certified to be
dangerous structures by the District Surveyor. In various parts of the