Part 7/11:
Rent prices within these tenements compounded their struggles. A residential space could cost upwards of $12.25 per month for scanty conditions—including rooms without windows meant to be "bedrooms." The cycle of evictions loomed large, especially when families pushed back against unjust wages and rampant exploitation. Riis detailed scenes of familial cooperation, with households pooling their meager earnings, yet still living precariously amidst constant threats of financial ruin.