An analysis of letters which were sent in reply to an advertisement in Amsterdam newspapers on Oct 26, 1965, in which the Amsterdam Municipal Housing Service offered 4-room apartments (apt's) in a new housing estate in the Amsterdam suburb of Purmerend, with preference given to people who could offer in exchange an apt in Amsterdam or could prove an urgent need. Some 2,000 letters arrived in reply, of which 1,870 were analyzed, with the following conclusions: (1) the great majority of inquiries came from people living in overcrowded apt's or with no apt's of their own. (2) 1 out of 5 inquirers with apt's of their own had fam's with a membership larger by at least 2 than the N of available rooms, but only 17% could prove urgency. (3) Almost 50% of the inquirers had fam's with 2 or more children; 66.6% had children under 15. (4) 50% of the inquirers with apt's of their own had 3-room apt's, a particularly awkward size. (5) An unusual number of inquiries came from the Western parts of Amsterdam, for a number of reasons-housing shortage, prevalence of young fam's, too many 3-room apt's, familiarity with long travel to job, etc. (6) Only 4% of the inquiries came North of the river IJ & the North See Canal. (7) Only 7% of the inquiries came from people with apt's of 5 or more rooms. I. Langnas.
