The Housing Problem

WE have often pointed out the importance of municipalities taking up in right earnest the question of housing the people in healthy buildings. On this largely depends the health of the city and also the happiness and comfort of the people. Most of our towns are ill-built and overcrowded and there is no proper open space for extension. House rents are unreasonably raised and the bulk of the people live in dangerously overcrowded parts. Consequently city extension schemes are necessary and the municipalities should either build quarters themselves or encourage by offers of suitable concessions the private capitalists to build quarters for all classes according to given designs. Bombay lately proposed two lines of proceeding in the matter.