further, when the designated Negro quarters in Pittsburgh became
congested, there grew up new colonies in various places
elsewhere.[150] In many instances the houses in these colonies were
those which had been abandoned by foreign whites at the outbreak of
the European War. Some of these structures had been formerly condemned
by the City Bureau of Sanitation, but were opened again to
accommodate the migrants from the South. For these inadequate dwelling
places Negro occupants were compelled to pay comparatively high rents,
which ranged from $10 to upwards of $25 per month.

An investigation made in Cleveland in 1917 revealed the fact that
Negroes were living in cramped unsanitary quarters two or three
families per suite, and that in this regard there was very little
relief in sight. Rents had increased far out of proportion, ranging
from 50 per cent to 75 per cent higher for Negro than for white
tenants. There were instances in which rents had jumped from $25 to
$45, from $16 to $35 and the like.[151] An examination into conditions
of housing in Detroit indicated that a majority of the houses were in
very bad repair, many of them being actual shanties. Less than
one-half of these houses were equipped with bath-rooms or inside
toilets. Rents were also exceedingly high. The average rent a room of
houses occupied by Negroes was $5.90, whereas the average rent a room
for the city at large was only $4.25. The prevailing rent a Negro
family ranged between $20 and $44 per month. It was estimated that the
increase in rent of houses occupied by Negroes during eighteen months
was all the way from 50 per cent to 350 per cent.[152]

A study of 407 families in Detroit, moreover, showed that 209 of them
kept lodgers as a means of procuring money to pay the high rents. One
hundred of these kept no lodgers; the other 98 were doubtful or
unknown. The prevalent size of each family was from two to four
persons, exclusive of lodgers; and 146 families were found living each
in two or more rooms. Thus when the size of the families, consisting
each of two or three persons, including lodgers, and the number of
rooms occupied per family were considered, it was found that there was
much overcrowding, which meant a serious hindrance to healthy and
decent family life.[153]

In regard to the housing situation in Chicago, the Secretary of the
National Urban League reported that the Negroes were living in a
limited area similar to that of the most