Lawrence Veiller

Lawrence Turner Veiller (1872–1959) was an American social reformer of the Progressive Era in New York. A major figure in tenement policy, urban planning, and good government movements of the early twentieth century, he has been described as "the most important housing reformer in the country."

Early life and education

Lawrence Turner Veiller was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on January 7, 1872. Lawrence Veiller was the son of broker and factory owner Philip Veiller and Elizabeth du Puy. Lawrence attended school in many states such as Massachusetts, Illinois, and New York. He graduated from the City College of New York in New York City in 1890. He took interest in social work by elaborating solutions for poor, harmful living conditions.

Marriage and family

In 1897, Veiller married Amy Hall; they had no children.

His brother, Bayard Veiller, was a New York playwright known best for his script for Within the Law.

Career

Veiller began his career with the Charity Organization Society (COS) as a volunteer, then worked as plans manager for the Buildings Department of the City of New York gaining knowledge about housing construction and finance (1895-1897). He was especially concerned with housing conditions among the poor, which he viewed as a crucial to broader social improvement.

Veiller served as executive officer of the Tenement House Committee (1898-1907). Veiller produced a Tenement Exhibition, consisting of visuals that where examples of the proposals to be set in New York City (1900). He then became secretary of the New York State Tenement House Commission (1900–01) through which he helped draft the New York State Tenement House Act (1901), which established basic housing laws in the city such as better fire exits and running water for bathrooms in every tenement. Veiller understood the importance of publicity in gaining support for his cause, and to this end worked with journalists like Jacob Riis, who used photography to document the living conditions of the poor.

Lawrence Veiller’s participation in housing affairs ended 1917. He still took interest of New York City’s urban reformation. He worked for traffic regulation, expansion of subway transportation, and control of francises.

After Lawrence Veiller’s active years of social reformation and regulation, his ideas fell out of favor. It became difficult to encourage quality construction regulations and control on housing for the poor. It became unaffordable to maintain, due to the Depression of 1929, his reforms for housing the poor ultimately receded.

Publications

Books

• A Model Tenement House Law (1910),
• Housing Reform: A Hand-Book for Practical Use in American Cities (1910),
• A Model Housing Law (1914; rev/ed., 1920)

Reports

• Housing Conditions and Tenement Laws in Leading American Cities (1900)
• Industrial Housing Developments in America: A Development of Group Houses (1918)

Essays

• Industrial Housing Developments in America, Architectural Record (1918)
• The Rising Tide of Crime, World's Work (1925)
• How the Law Saves the Criminal, World's Work (1926)
• Where American Justice Fails,World's Work (1926)
• The Way to War on Crime, World's Work (1926)