But illegal alcohol also fostered graft, organized crime, and violence, and, as concern over the Eighteenth Amendment became more widespread, the city organized politically.
While advocates for the homeless and others involved in the case said the 17 examples of inadequate housing were so easy to find that they suspected a much more widespread problem, city officials have insisted that violations are "rare lapses".
But Mr. Goldsmith never seemed to master the day-to-day mechanics of New York's sprawling government or relish the political intricacies of the job, and dissatisfaction with his performance became widespread in City Hall, according to two aides to Mr. Bloomberg who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of angering the mayor.
While the problem of binge drinking and its associated societal costs is widespread, big cities like Edinburgh are hotspots, with hundreds of police call outs per week.
Local officials say drug sales are widespread, though the city's police chief says he has stamped out the problem.
Patricia J. Lancaster, the buildings commissioner, said that the use of spray-on fireproofing was extremely widespread in the city.
The Neighborhood Police Teams were widespread throughout the city in the early 1970's but now the number has been greatly cut back.
And behind the scenes, the administration engaged in the kind of widespread outreach to city and state lawmakers that was missing in December, averting potential problems early on.
The flu is now widespread in the city's five boroughs but there is enough vaccine for those most at risk, principally infants and the elderly, city officials said yesterday.
OTTAWA — Montreal's mayor, Gérald Tremblay, resigned Monday evening in the midst of an eyebrow-raising inquiry that has revealed widespread corruption among city officials, contractors and members of organized crime.
