Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1916 — HOME TOWN HELPS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOME TOWN HELPS

GOOD APARTMENTS, LOW RENT Experiment Undertaken at Dea Moines, la., Asserted to Be a Complete Success. ‘ A practical demonstration to prove that individual apartments with modern plumbing, sanitary conveniences, and absolute privacy for each family, can be built to rent for from >8 to 112.50 per month and yet yield a reasonable profit to the builder, was made a short time ago at Des Moines, la. The Octavia Hill association, which has already won renown in solving housing problems, has worked out the plan to the smallest detail and 1» building the model houses. Forty-five families were provided for in the first block now under construction. 4 The houses, which are of red brick, are simply finished with sufficient trimming to keep them from being severely plain. One Important feature of the property is the provision for the children. About 8,000 square feet; of ground in the center of the block will be used for a playground. The rent collectors are trained society: workers and will volunteer to start! the playground activities. The investment will reach nearly >60,000, which is represented by capital stock and a mortgage which pays; 4.4 per cent a year. The investment! will yield a gross income of 1Q.9 per cent per year, after deducting taxes, insurance, water rents, cost of collection of rents, social work, depreciation,. etc., of 5.7 per cent. The Des Moined venture is a test case to prove that the unsanitary and. bad housing conditions which prevail I for the low-salaried workingmen are criminally unnecessary. It is vole-. Ing an unanswerable protest against the crowded tenement, the dilapidated; and unsanitary house which is virtually the only kind offered to the man; who must pay less than >ls a month; rental. The association now owns or man-, ages 353 dwellings, housing 2,500 peo-i pie, and has nevgr failed to pay four: per cent a year to its stockholders.