Student Tenant Union calls for mandatory inspections
Jason Potkanski and Jenna Steiner
Issue date: 2/2/01 Section: News
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The Student Tenant Union is trying to gain public support for mandatory inspections of Macomb's 26,000 rental units.
STU represents students who do not live in residence halls or university-owned apartments.
According to STU, 6,000 students rent apartments and homes that may not be in top-quality condition.
STU is proposing a plan that will require inspections of rental properties every 3 or 4 years by the city inspector. Currently, the city inspector only visits rental properties if there are complaints of poor maintenance.
According to Chuck Wrenn, president of the Macomb Landlords Association, there is no need for mandatory inspections.
"Renters can call the inspector at any time they have a complaint," he said. "And, they have the support of the student attorney to help them. There is no reason to adopt a new program."
STU anticipates another housing inspector may be needed for the additional inspections at unknown additional cost.
"Some of the people live in off-campus housing I would not put a rat into," STU president Joshua Lievers said at Tuesday's Student Government Association meeting.
Lievers described some rental-unit horror stories. Some homes, he said, have extremely steep stairwells with no handrail. Another rental unit had a hole inside the front door that led to the basement.
Despite the number of complaints that STU asserts, Wrenn said that during his three years as president, STU has not contacted the MLA once concerning problems.
"We have a meeting once a year with the STU, and they have never mentioned anything during that meeting or any other time," he said.
Lievers has been trying to get the support of the administration for his efforts and, he said, has spoken at length with State Representative Rich Myers about housing conditions. Lievers has written an early draft of a letter and proposition to take to local aldermen.
"We have decided that we need to have a lot of people to back us up. It is a big concern of the student population and even for the city of Macomb," Lievers said. "I feel as the president it is my duty of my organization to take the initiative."
STU represents students who do not live in residence halls or university-owned apartments.
According to STU, 6,000 students rent apartments and homes that may not be in top-quality condition.
STU is proposing a plan that will require inspections of rental properties every 3 or 4 years by the city inspector. Currently, the city inspector only visits rental properties if there are complaints of poor maintenance.
According to Chuck Wrenn, president of the Macomb Landlords Association, there is no need for mandatory inspections.
"Renters can call the inspector at any time they have a complaint," he said. "And, they have the support of the student attorney to help them. There is no reason to adopt a new program."
STU anticipates another housing inspector may be needed for the additional inspections at unknown additional cost.
"Some of the people live in off-campus housing I would not put a rat into," STU president Joshua Lievers said at Tuesday's Student Government Association meeting.
Lievers described some rental-unit horror stories. Some homes, he said, have extremely steep stairwells with no handrail. Another rental unit had a hole inside the front door that led to the basement.
Despite the number of complaints that STU asserts, Wrenn said that during his three years as president, STU has not contacted the MLA once concerning problems.
"We have a meeting once a year with the STU, and they have never mentioned anything during that meeting or any other time," he said.
Lievers has been trying to get the support of the administration for his efforts and, he said, has spoken at length with State Representative Rich Myers about housing conditions. Lievers has written an early draft of a letter and proposition to take to local aldermen.
"We have decided that we need to have a lot of people to back us up. It is a big concern of the student population and even for the city of Macomb," Lievers said. "I feel as the president it is my duty of my organization to take the initiative."