An IDS staff editorial, published Wednesday, declared that the "Rental saga continues," and offered its view that "the Bloomington rental restriction is detrimental and unnecessary." This ignores obvious reasons for the important ordinance and therefore merits our response.\nReason 1:\nFact: Student Legal Services assists approximately 4,000 students each year. Of that number, about 43 percent, (1,600 to 2,000 students) have landlord problems. In previous years it has been as high as 50 percent. \nProblems arise and are exacerbated when more than three students share a house. When housemates move out -- as they often do -- the remaining individuals are left with fulfilling the terms/costs of the lease. Students have been forced to drop out of school due to adverse court judgments brought against them by owners when the students are unable to pay. \nReason 2: \nFact: Overcrowding imposes a negative effect on students competing for living space and on everyone else -- a situation brought on by the conversion of single-family homes into rooming houses. Unregulated numbers of occupants affect all city services. Consider the cumulative effect of so many persons living briefly in one house: noise, trash, heavy traffic, scant parking -- too often, left to others to deal with the aftermath. As historic neighborhoods deteriorate, single families have fled. Who wants to live in an incipient slum? \nReason 3: \nFact: Just as highway speed limits protect motorists and bystanders, so too, does the ordinance limiting the number of house occupants protect you. Without restraints, landlords are free to rent to as many students as their floor space allows. A common assumption is that the student pays less as the number of occupants increases. Not the case. If the owner rents to one additional student, the rent is raised a little for all the occupants. Thus the owner makes twice as much as if it were rented to only three persons.\nReason 4:\nToo often students are victimized. Addressing your concern for the "landlord struggling to make ends meet," let us quote from a Student Legal Services publication, "Landlords Got Ya Choked?"\n"Hundreds of Bloomington tenants each year feel they've been cheated out of their deposits by unfair charges for damage or for cleaning their apartments."\nSo what don't we like? Loud parties running to 4 a.m., strewn garbage and mountains of trash, overhanging trees and unmowed lawns. That's our side of the story. That's why we support city ordinances enacted to protect our city, its residents and our students.\nWe recognize and applaud the many students and owners who conduct their affairs with civility and decency and who observe these ordinances. Many serious, well-directed students live in our neighborhood and we welcome them. We see them everyday, know them and help them when called upon. We have kept many as friends after they've moved on.
The Eastside Neighborhood Association\nWilliam Krause, executive council\nNita Levison, vice president\nMolly O'Donnell, secretary, treasurer
