Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/633

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desirable even necessary, in families with grown children to have three-room dwellings, there is yet the danger of the third room's being rented to lodgers. Consequently the dwelling with three rooms and kitchen is to be recommended only when it is possible to enforce strictly the prohibition of room-renting. Otherwise the provision of such homes becomes purposeless.

Ulm lays especial stress upon the value of the gardens con- nected with these houses. In the first place, the gardens suffice to furnish almost all the vegetables needed by an average family for the year. Various vegetables, as well as berry bushes and trees, are planted in the gardens. The tenant takes great pride in the appearance of the garden as well as in the amount he can produce. In nearly every garden one finds a summer house which, in warm weather, serves as a living-room. The man, instead of frequenting the inn, as formerly, comes here with his family; and in this group is the family spirit fostered, says Ober- burgermeister Wagner.

The authorities take care ( I ) that the dwellings shall be sold only to people of small means; (2) that large families be given preference; (3) that repossession under certain circumstances be secured to the municipality; (4) that a rise of rent be pre- vented; (5) that damage and neglect of the buildings be pre- vented.

Many regulations were found necessary to prevent small trades being carried on in the houses, the overcrowding of the houses with lodgers, and subrenting at a higher price, since these conditions all worked directly against the intentions of the municipal authorities in providing the dwellings.

In the summer of 1903 Ulm was to begin to provide further accommodations, under similar conditions and regulations, for fifty families. Employers and building associations also have built dwellings for workingmen in Ulm. All together have in fifteen years (1888-1903) built, at a cost of 2,339,262 marks, 216 buildings, with 526 dwellings housing about 2,600 people; and Ulm is a city with small industrial development, of 35,000 inhabitants.

The Ulm authorities are convinced that the solution of the