Better Housing Association Records

Collection — Box: 1-2

Identifier: 2014-025

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

The Better Housing Association, formed in 1945, was the successor to the Citizen's City Planning and Housing Council. The organization advocated for housing improvements and the establishment of a public housing authority. It suspended operations in 1953, and finally disbanded in 1956. Materials in this collection date from 1939 to 1955, with the bulk dating from 1944 to 1948. The records include minutes, member lists, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and membership cards.

Dates

Creation: Majority of material found within 1944-1948
Creation: 1939-1955

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 Better Housing Association formed in February of 1945 in order to carry on the work of the former Citizen's City Planning and Housing Council. The organization formed to continue its predecessor's work in improving Rochester's housing conditions and advocating for public action in improving housing in the city. The Better Housing Association was particularly active from 1945 to 1948. The organization campaigned for Rochester to create a public housing administration, along with supporting veterans' housing projects and educational activities for home owners. The group also carried out formal studies of Rochester's housing stock and citizen concerns, intended to support its activist goals. The organization's activities slowed by the end of the 1940s, with limited meetings into the early 1950s. Activities were suspended in February 1953, due (in its own words) to the formation of newer organizations that better represented the community and the accomplishment of most of the organization's goals. At a final meeting of the Board of Directors on December 18, 1956, the Board voted to dissolve the Better Housing Association.

Extent

1.0 Cubic Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Better Housing Association was a non-profit organization dedicated to local housing issues that operated in Rochester, New York from 1945 into the early 1950s. The records in the collection include minutes, member lists, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and membership cards.

Arrangement

This collection consists of two boxes arranged as a single series.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated to the Rochester Public Library by the Better Housing Association in 1956, as recorded in the minutes of its final Board of Directors meeting.

Related Materials

The Rochester Public Library holds two closely related collections to the Better Housing Association records. The records of the City Manager's Committee on Housing are those of a previous organization that influenced citizen movement for better housing. The records of the Citizen's City Planning and Housing Council are those of its immediate predecessor organization.