▁cou ples ▁could ▁share ▁a ▁room ▁without ▁disapp ro val . ▁With ▁the ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁me al ▁service ▁of ▁board ing ▁houses , ▁room ing ▁houses ▁needed ▁to ▁be ▁near ▁din ers ▁and ▁other ▁in exp ensive ▁food ▁business es . ▁Room ing ▁houses ▁attract ed ▁criticism : ▁in ▁" 1 9 1 6 , ▁Walter ▁K rum w ilde , ▁a ▁Protest ant ▁minister , ▁saw ▁the ▁room ing ▁house ▁or ▁board ing house ▁system ▁[ as ] ▁" sp reading ▁its ▁web ▁like ▁a ▁sp ider , ▁stretch ing ▁out ▁its ▁arms ▁like ▁an ▁oct opus ▁to ▁catch ▁the ▁unw ary ▁soul ." ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁" room ing ▁or ▁board ing ▁houses ▁had ▁been ▁taken ▁for ▁granted ▁as ▁respect able ▁places ▁for ▁students , ▁single ▁workers , ▁imm igr ants , ▁and ▁newly w eds ▁to ▁live ▁when ▁they ▁left ▁home ▁or ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁city ". ▁ ▁In ▁Toronto , ▁room ing ▁houses ▁were ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression , ▁because ▁" wealth y ▁home own ers " ▁who ▁had ▁guest ▁houses ▁would ▁rent ▁out ▁empty ▁rooms ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁keep ▁their ▁homes . ▁After ▁W W II , ▁the ▁city ▁ens ured ▁that ▁room ing ▁house ▁spaces ▁were ▁available ▁for ▁returning ▁soldiers . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁a ▁soci ologist ▁called ▁a ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁room ing ▁house ▁neighbourhood