Reminds me of Down and Out in Paris and London. Many scenes just like these with all the "tramps" waiting to see if they would be allowed in for the night

It's also very interesting to note that a number of men have purposefully covered their faces or lowered their heads, as if to not be identified. It's also interesting to note the group of men standing off to the right toward the back of the picture. Why have they remained separate? Just interesting.

1991 New York Times article on the Municipal Lodging House.

Excerpt:

IF Mayor David N. Dinkins has been perturbed by the opposition to his plan for 100-bed shelters for the homeless, he would surely take a suggestion for a facility 10 times that size as a bad joke.

Yet that is exactly what New York City put up in 1909 at 432 East 25th Street. This shelter stood for 40 years but the chilling irony is that the 1909 Municipal Lodging House remains the only city building built in Manhattan for single homeless men and women.

That's a lot of tenants who did not have the freedom to get into their own bed until someone else said they could!

I'd love to learn more about this one too.

[So far we have six photos of the New York Municipal Lodging House, with more information in the comments. - Dave]

The hangdog expression on the policeman's face speaks volumes. What was the story on the New York Municipal Lodging House? Sure seems like a popular place.

it's a real sign of the times that no matter how down on your luck you were, you always wore a hat.