Housing Reform and Urban Planning

Belle Époque prosperity coexisted with appalling housing conditions. Working-class families crowded into insalubrious apartments lacking running water, adequate light, or ventilation. Tuberculosis maps correlated precisely with overcrowding density.

The Siegfried Law of 1894 encouraged workers' housing construction through tax incentives. Results disappointed—speculators built minimal housing maximizing profits. The socialist municipal councils elected after 1900 attempted direct intervention, constructing public housing despite legal obstacles.

Henri Sellier, though his greatest work came later, began developing garden city concepts during the Belle Époque. Inspired by British models, he envisioned working-class communities combining urban employment with suburban space. His plans integrated housing, transportation, education, and recreation—comprehensive social planning.

Women reformers particularly advocated housing improvement. The Duchess d'Uzès, despite aristocratic background, funded model workers' housing after witnessing slum conditions. Marie-Jeanne Bassot created the "Oeuvre des Loyers" (Rent Charity), helping families avoid eviction during unemployment. These efforts, while insufficient, demonstrated growing awareness that decent housing was prerequisite for social progress.