A Space to Live, But Not to Live
When something in a tenement broke, it frequently stayed broken. The landlords had little incentive (or in some cases, money) to fix it. Nor did the residents. In this image, the walls are dilapidated and chipped. The bed is nothing more than a metal frame, although the bed itself is reasonably neatly made, and the floor picked up, showing an effort to take care of their living space.
An article of clothing or a towel hangs from a nail or hook above the bed, and a warped shelf contains the few personal treasures visible in the image, including an American flag. But of greater concern is the broken window with shards of pointed glass looming over the bed. The lack of an attempted fix shows a lack of care by the property owners and landlords to properly maintain the dwelling units.
