Amendments to housing code may protect tenants

Doctoral student Alexandre Eisenberg had to endure nose bleeds and headaches due to cigarette smoke seeping into his home from his neighbor's smoky residence. \n"It was just hell," he said. \nFor students who are experiencing problems with rental units, there are solutions. \nOne option for Bloomington residents is to contact Housing and Neighborhood Development to report violations. Interim Director of HAND Sue Johnson said the office is mostly successful in forcing landlords to fix homes. \n"If they have a problem, we have the capacity to mandate compliance," she said. "The only thing we ask is that residents speak with the management and give them sufficient time to fix the problem first. But if they are taking too long to fix it, we can help."\nIU Student Legal Services, which provides free legal advice to students, can also assist with housing issues.\nHAND and SLS only enforce current laws; they don't create them.\nSLS Director John Irvine is currently trying to alter Bloomington's housing code by proposing some new amendments.\nBut Council member Jason Banach said these new amendments are not necessary. \nIrvine said Bloomington's rental inspection system is better than most cities, but that more can be done.\n"First of all, as bad you guys may think it is, Bloomington has the most progressive rental laws than any other place in the state," he said. "It's hard to believe, but we have a housing code, a lot of different places don't, and it's fairly comprehensive. Part of the things I'm trying to get amended is to get the housing code changed in a way that will help tenants." \nAfter its initial reading on April 2, the amendments will open for comment on April 9 and will be voted on April 16. \nThe amendments will protect tenants from some problems not mentioned by the housing code, Irvine said. \nTwo of the things Irvine said he is trying to change are ventilation and insulation, which he said are not currently addressed in Bloomington's housing code.\nIrvine stressed the only way to get his amendments passed is to get students more active in government.\n"We need to start getting all of the tenants involved," he said. "Talk to the city council. Talk to the mayor. He is on talk shows and no tenants ever call with problems. You guys have to get more politically active. The landlords sure are. They vote, and they have power"