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So far as the sanitary aspect is concerned, subdivision means that most of the
conveniences—water-closets, etc.—have to be used in common and suffer not only
as a result of overuse, but from mis-use and neglect. The houses themselves are
also to a large extent misused by the tenants and are neglected by the landlords or
owners, though this is perhaps less the case now than formerly, many leases in the
Lisson Grove area particularly having reverted to the freeholders, who try as far as
possible to see that the best is done with a view to keeping the premises in a
reasonably fit state of repair.
The intention of subdivision being to reduce overcrowding, its effect, in reality
is to increase it, since though it may mean that the number of individuals per room
is lessened, the number of rooms occupied continuously and used for all purposes
is greatly increased. This point was very definitely proved during the course of
an enquiry carried out recently in one of the most notoriously overcrowded parts
parts of the Borough. Here it was shown that though practically every house was
small and housed three, four or more families, the average number of persons per
room was less than 1.7. Such a figure is very comforting until individual cases
and the conditions as to overcrowding in particular families come to be investigated.
From the census figures also comfort may be drawn.

The actual number of persons represented in the table is 60,945, rather more
than half of the total population (105,200) at the time of the enumeration.
In respect of measures taken or contemplated to meet the shortage nothing
can be said that was not said in 1925. The situation, so far as the Borough itself
is concerned, is still very difficult. Within the boundaries there is no space upon
which to erect houses to accommodate the working classes. Before houses can be
erected, houses will have to be demolished, and there is probably no site in the
Borough which, if once cleared, even if entirely used for housing purposes, could
provide accommodation for a number of persons appreciably larger than that
dishoused. It is this largely that complicates the housing problem in St. Marylebone,
and makes the task of the Council and its Housing Committee so difficult.
2. Sufficiency of supply of houses.
(a) Extent of shortage, if any, of houses available at reasonable rents,
and the measures taken or contemplated to meet any shortage.
(b) Information as to any important changes in population during the
period under review or anticipated in the future.
(c) Any special difficulties in the way of providing suitable sites for new
houses.
3. Overcrowding.
(a) Extent. (b) Causes.
The information called for under these heads is more or less given above. So
far as regards inability to pay the rents of available houses is concerned, it cannot
be doubted that this operates as a cause in a number of cases. Over and over
again this is given as a reason for not accepting a family as tenants on County
Council estates. At the same time, however, it must be stated that one is
astonished at the number of instances in which there is overcrowding in spite of