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Helen Jones files on the City Manager's Committee on Housing

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: 2020-004

Content Description

The Manager's Committee was founded in 1938 in order to investigate the housing structure of the city of Rochester. The majority of the materials are minutes and reports based on the Committee's findings throughout the years of 1938 and 1939. The materials includes census tracts, and the chapters of census, handwritten notes, findings, questionaires, as well as descriptions of the areas of Rochester that were investigated.

Dates

  • Creation: 1938-1939

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use in any current or future manifestations must be obtained in writing from the Rochester Public Library Local History and Genealogy Division.

Administrative History

The City Manager's Committee on Housing was formed in 1938, in order to investigate housing conditions and the conditions of housing stock in the Rochester area. The Committee consisted of men and women with differing backgrounds based on their economic status, along with people of minority backgrounds. Numerous findings based on surveys of Rochester housing showed highly variable structural conditions around the city. The Committee also discovered that housing conditions were impacted by many rental houses being in poor condition. The Committee intended its research to show how existing housing could be improved and where to build entirely new living areas. The reports, however, were not supported by the City and housing projects received no funding. The evidence that the Committee found also brought about some controversy, which negatively impacted its effects.

Extent

.06 Cubic Feet (One binder.)

.04 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection consists of records on the City Manager's Committee on Housing, a city government sponsored group dedicated to determining whether or not Rochester needed a civic housing authority. The materials are dated between the years of 1938 through 1939. The materials included are meeting minutes and reports.

Arrangement

This collection consists of 2 folders.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Uncertain, found in Document Case 12, Shelf 2. Possibly the gift of Helen Jones, aka Mrs. Leonard Jones, as her mailing address is on some of the materials

Related Materials

The City Manager's Committee on Housing records are those of the predecessor organization to the Citizen's City Planning and Housing Council and the Better Housing Association. All are held at the Rochester Public Library.

Bibliography

"Larger City Housing Committee Organizes." Democrat and ChronicleMarch 8, 1938: 29.

Condition Description

Fair, the papers are dry, somewhat brittle and dirty.

Title
A Guide to the City Manager's Committee on Housing records
Status
Completed
Author
Brandon Fess and Dakota Spinner
Date
2020-01-27
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Local History & Genealogy Division Repository

Contact:
115 South Ave.
Rochester 14604 USA
585-428-8370
585-428-8353 (Fax)