Reference is here made to Sections 26 and 27 of the "Tenement House Act" which follows:

"SEC. 26. No building hereafter constructed as, or altered into a tenement house shall be occupied, in whole or in part, for human habitation until the issuance of a certificate by the officer aforesaid that said building conforms in all respects to the requirements of this act. Such certificate shall be issued within ten days after written application therefor, if said building, at the date of such application, shall be entitled thereto."

"SEC. 27. If any building hereafter constructed as, or altered into, a tenement house be occupied in whole or in part for human habitation in violation of the last section, during such unlawful occupation no rent shall be recoverable by the owner or lessee of such premises for said period, and no action or special proceedings shall be maintained therefor."

The bureau instituted inquiries relative to the observance of these requirements and the investigation resulted in the ascertainment that in but one of the six cities to which the law applies, were certificates issued as provided for in the statute. In this connection, however, it should be stated that in no instance, so far as could be ascertained, had any owner of or agent for the leasing of tenement houses within the meaning of the act, given the necessary written application for such certificate.

It should be added furthermore that no occupant of a building of the class mentioned had claimed immunity from the payment of rent under the provisions of Section 27 by reason of occupancy in violation of Section 26 of the law.

It would seem that the law might well be so amended as to cause the issuance of certificates, in the absence of written applications therefor. The intent of the law in this regard is plain, but as above written, in the absence of applications, it has evidently been construed as to place no obligation upon the persons authorized to issue certificates as indicated.

HARTFORD.

The reports filed in this office by the building inspector of the city of Hartford disclose the information that permits were

granted for the erection of one hundred and forty-four of the class described as "tenement houses," within the meaning of the "Tenement House Act," during the year ended December 31, 1910.

Reference to the report of the inspector covering the year 1910 develops the interesting fact that the cost of the tenement and apartment houses mentioned above amounted to $1,295,600. The report also exhibits the information that thirty-six of the three-family houses are of frame construction and fifty-two are built of brick. Five of the houses arranged for the occupancy of more than three families are of frame, the remaining fiftyone being of brick construction.

The average cost of the three family frame houses, according to the inspector's report, is $5,617, and of the brick houses of the same class $6,431. The average cost of the frame houses designed as apartment and tenement houses for the occupancy of more than three families, is reported to be $4.500 and those of the same class constructed of brick $14,441.

The specifications submitted for the construction of these buildings relating to the area of lot covered by the various structures show that one is planned to occupy over seventy per cent. of area of lot, two are designed to occupy over sixty and under seventy per cent. of lot, the same number occupy over fifty and under sixty per cent. of lot, sixteen take up a space of over forty and under fifty per cent. of lot, twenty-three occupy a space of over thirty and under forty per cent., forty-eight are built upon over twenty and under thirty per cent. of area of lot while fifty-two are constructed upon over ten and under twenty per cent. of lot area.

One of these buildings is designed for the occupancy of twenty-four families, the same number are arranged to be occupied by eighteen, sixteen, ten and nine families each respectively, six of the buildings are calculated for the use of eight families in each, forty-two are designed for six families each, three are designed for four families each and eighty-eight are arranged for the occupancy of three families each.

The one hundred and forty-four buildings included, the dimensions of which are shown in the reports on file, occupy a

floor space of 803,143 square feet, exclusive of cellar area, while the total area including cellar, is 1,053,963 square feet.

NEW HAVEN.

The reports from the building inspector of the city of New Haven give a description of one hundred and fifty-six buildings of the class described in the "Tenement House Act."

Six of the structures are so designed as to occupy over seventy and under eighty per cent. of the lot area, twelve are built upon over sixty and under seventy per cent. of the area of lot, sixteen occupy over fifty and under sixty per cent. of lot area, forty-six take up a space of over forty and under fifty per cent. of lot, forty-four occupy over thirty and under forty per cent. of the lot area, twenty-four are built upon over twenty and under thirty per cent. of ground space and eight take up over ten and under twenty per cent. of lot area.

The floor space of the buildings is 945,460 square feet, exclusive of cellar area and 1,254,193 square feet, including cellar

area.

BRIDGEPORT.

The reports from the building inspector of the city of Bridgeport develops the information that permits were granted during the year for the construction of one hundred and eight buildings of the class described in the "Tenement House Act."

Of these buildings, seventy-five are arranged for the occupancy of three families in each, five are designed for four families each, four are arranged for five families each, seventeen for six, three are arranged for the occupancy of eight, nine and eleven families each respectively, three are calculated for the occupancy of twelve families each and one is built to accommodate sixteen families.

The dimensions of these buildings as given in the reports of the inspector, exhibit the information that one of them occupies less than ten per cent. of the lot area, twenty are built upon over ten and under twenty per cent. of the area of lot, thirty-nine occupy over twenty and under thirty per cent. of lot, twenty-six are built upon over thirty and under forty per cent. of lot area,

fifteen take up over forty and under fifty per cent. of lot, two occupy over fifty and under sixty per cent. of ground space, one is built upon over sixty and under seventy per cent. of lot area, three occupy over seventy and under eighty per cent. of area of lot and one takes up over eighty and under ninety per cent. of lot.

The floor space of these buildings as shown in the reports amounts to 475,300 square feet, exclusive of cellar area, and 631,842 square feet, including cellar area.

WATERBURY.

The reports from the building inspector of the city of Waterbury on file in this office show that one hundred and forty-seven permits were issued during the year for the construction of buildings of the class described in the "Tenement House Act."

Of this number one hundred and twenty-one are arranged for the occupancy of three families each, seven are designed for the use of four families each, one is planned for five families, twelve for six families each, two are calculated for eight families each, the same number are designed for twelve families each and two are arranged for the occupancy of sixteen and eighteen families in each respectively.

Twenty-eight reports from the inspector did not include the item in reference to area of lot covered by building. The remaining one hundred and nineteen reports which are on file, show that two of the buildings occupy under ten per cent. of the lot area, forty-two are built upon over ten and under twenty per cent. of area of lot, fifty-three occupy over twenty and under thirty per cent. of land area, seven take up over thirty and under forty per cent. of ground space, the same number occupy over forty and under fifty per cent. of lot, four are built upon over fifty and under sixty per cent. of lot, two occupy over sixty and under seventy per cent. of area of lot, one takes up over seventy and under eighty per cent. of land area and the same number occupies over eighty and under ninety per cent. of lot. The floor space of the one hundred and forty-seven buildings

included amounts to 625,568 square feet, exclusive of cellar area, and 820,267 square feet, including area of cellar.

NEW BRITAIN.

There were ninety-one permits granted during the year by the building inspector of the city of New Britain for the erection of houses of the class described in the "Tenement House Act."

Two of the houses were so built as to occupy less than ten per cent. of lot area, thirty-five take up a space of over ten and under twenty per cent. of lot, thirty-seven are built upon over twenty and under thirty per cent. of lot area, nine occupy over thirty and under forty per cent. of lot, four take up over forty and under fifty per cent. of land space, one is built upon over fifty and under sixty per cent. of area of lot, and three occupy over sixty and under seventy per cent. of lot area.

The floor space of the buildings referred to above amounts to 437,990 square feet exclusive of cellar and 583,751 square feet, including area of cellar.

MERIDEN.

The official authorized to issue building permits in the city of Meriden filed twelve reports in this office relating to the construction of buildings of the class described in the "Tenement House Act."

One of the houses occupy a space of less than ten per cent. of the lot area, six are built upon over ten and under twenty per cent. of lot, four occupy over twenty and under thirty per cent. of lot area and one takes up over thirty and under forty per cent. of lot.

All of the buildings are designed for the occupancy of three families each and the floor space amounts to 39,996 square feet, exclusive of cellar area, and 53,328 square feet, including cellar floor space.