The Tenement House Problem, Vol. 2 of 2: Including the Report of the New York State Tenement House Commission of 1900 (Classic Reprint)

A historical look at tenement reform and urban improvement, with a focus on parks, safety, and living conditions. This volume compiles the 1900 Tenement House Commission findings and related legislative work, offering context, data, and concrete ideas that shaped early 20th‑century city planning.

Readers will gain insight into the push for parks and playgrounds in crowded districts, the fate of proposed spaces, and the debates over how to balance city growth with public health and recreation. The book also traces the evolution of building rules intended to protect residents, including fireproofing, stair design, and other safety measures that influenced tenement construction.

• Explanations of how parks were proposed, built, or planned in tenement districts.


• Discussions of laws, commissions, and the process of turning reforms into policy.


• Descriptions of existing and planned park spaces, plus their impact on neighborhoods.


• Illustrative maps, tables, and historical context to understand urban reform efforts.

Ideal for readers of urban history and early American housing policy, as well as anyone curious about how cities addressed housing, health, and recreation at the turn of the century.