THE HOUSING SHORTAGE

The danger of uncovering a trail of dishonesty like that in the building operations in New York is that the public rushes along blinded to the ultimate purpose of the whole affair. Conviction of gratters is not the only end to be sought; the real object of all the turmoil is to make possible a solution of the housing problem by building more houses. Everyone realizes that the rent relief laws were only temporary; indeed their constitutionality depended on the fact that an emergency existed which allowed for an extraordinary use of the State's police powers.

The City Club, which includes many prominent men of New York, has gently reminded the public that the housing problem still exists, and that conviction of grafters will not of itself produce homes. It has published a letter to the Board of Aldermen asking for the immediate passage of an ordinance backing up a plan made possible by law, exempting taxation on new buildings to the extent of $10,000 per family. This would aid chiefly the construction of moderately priced homes, though all new houses would profit somewhat. This may or may not be the best solution, but there is nothing wrong with the City Club's endeavor to remind the people that in the grand hunt for prospective jailbirds they room to forget that what New York, in common with other large cities, needs is immediate action to relieve the housing shortage.