Oregon daily emerald., April 23, 1973, Page 8, Image 8

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Residents favor population
stability, says growth study
In a press conference held Friday morning
spokesmen for the ASUO Survival Center released
the results of a growth study and concluded that city
and county officials in the Eugene-Springfield area
“should develop alternate plans for the area with
little or no population growth as the target.”
Terry Esvelt, graduate student in Economics at
the University and author of the survey said survey
results showed that the majority of Eugene
Springfield residents would like area population to
decrease or at least remain at the present level.
Esvelt said the idea for the survey came from a
similar report done by a student organization at the
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
known as Pollution Probe.
The Pollution Probe report expressed concern
over a 1990 plan that projected a tripling of
population in the London area. Pollution Probe was
“afraid that the population projection was a self
fulfilling prophecy—that predicting growth was one
means of promoting growth.” Members of the
Survival Center examined the 1990 Plan and
W’illameMe Valley: Choice For the Future and
agreed that the same growth prediction—promotion
syndrome might exist in the Eugene-Springfield
area. The Survival center survey was made to
determine how people in the area did feel about
growth.
Esvelt and 12 volunteers conducted the four
question, random telephone survey during winter
term and received 285 responses. Esvelt said Steven
Seitz, assistant professor of political science at the
University and an “expert in surveying
techniques,” had been consulted to aid in drawing
up the survey.
Question one asked: “Do you think the population
of the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area should
(1) decrease, (2) remain the same, (3) increase
somewhat, or (4) double or even triple by the year
2000? The results were: decrease—13 per cent,
remain the same—50.2 per cent, increase
somewhat—26.7 per cent, double or triple— 8.1 per
cent, don’t know—2.1 per cent.
Esvelt said the results of question one indicated
that elected officials should perhaps give more
attention “to finding viable means for stabilizing
the present population level.”
Question two asked: “If this population growth
does occur, do you think the Eugene-Springfield
area will be able to develop an adequate tran
sportation system?” Results: yes—57.2 per cent,
no— 30.9 per cent, don’t know—11.9 per cent.
Question three read: “Do you think this area
will be able to adequately solve any environmental
problems that may arise with increased
population?” Results: yes—50.9per cent| no—40 per
cent, don’t know—9.1 per cent.
Esvelt attributed the “optimistic” responses to
questions two and three to the phrasing of the
questions. He said the clause “will be able to,”
found in both questions, could have qualified the
questions in a misleading way. He felt the af
firmative answers were directed toward the
question of whether or not the community would
have the technological ability to solve the problems.
The final question read: “Do you think the
‘general quality of life’ can be maintained as the
population increases?” Results: yes—34.4 per cent,
no—58.6 per cent, don’t know—7.0 per cent. Esvelt
said the results to question four “reveals that there
are problems involved with population growth that
technology cannot solve.” He said that the results to
questions one and four combined indicated “a
strong opposition to growth in the Eugene
Springfield area.”
Survival Center director Mike Dotten, said that
present plans for the survey include its presentation
to the Eugene City Council.
Landlords may legally raise
rents—but with ‘restraint’
Editor's note.
This question and answer
column is being produced by a
small staff of tenants working out
of Off-Campus Housing at the
University because a great deal
of misinformation and a lack of
knowledge exists in the area of
tenant and housing problems.
The information in this column
is not intended to be legal advice
and should not be relied on in
answering any specific legal
question or problem. A slight
modification of the facts may
result in a radically different
answer. To resolve a specific
problem there is no substitute for
individual legal advice, contact
an attorney or Legal Aid.
Under Nixon’s Phase III, can
the landlord increase my rent?
Yes. Under Phase III, which
ended in January, rents were
generally limited to 2Vz per cent
increases per year. There were
some exceptions for capitol
improvements or increases in
some expenses. On January 11
the President ended Phase II,
lifting almost all rent controls.
Landlords are expected to
exercise voluntary restraint.
According to the National
Tenants’ Organization, the lifting
of the rent controls was un
fortunate. The controls, as
inadequate they were, did help
to some extern.
A confusing provision of Phase
III is that it does not define what
is meant by voluntary restraint.
The White House does not intend
r
to issue standards or binding
requirements. A program
summary of Phase III indicates
this step is being taken, “in view
of the expanding supply of rental
units, increasing vacancy rates
and the modest rate of inflation
shown in this sector.” In other
words, a landlord is pretty much
free to increase rents as he
pleases.
Congress is considering im
posing mandatory ceilings on
rents in cities with vacancy rates
of less than 5.5 per cent, of which
Eugene is one, on the theory that
those cities are more apt to ex
perience sharp rent increases. No
one is sure what other cities in the
Northwest would be effected by
the bill, data from the 1970
Census will have to be updated.
The rent control was recently
adopted by the Senate 50 to 38
over the opposition of both
Senators Mark Hatfield and Bob
Packwood. Rent control is op
posed by President Nixon. The
bill is now under consideration in
the House of Representatives.
A bill establishing an Oregon
Fair Rent Commission was
recently introduced in the Oregon
Legislature. The Commission
would prescribe and enforce
rules and regulations controling
rental increases The bill, Senate
Bill 716, is being considered by
the Senate Consumer and
Business Affairs Committee
which is chaired by Senator Betty
Roberts. You can write her at the
Capitol Building, Salem, Oregon
97310 to express your support of
rent control, or for information
about the bill.
The Governor’s Tax Plan,
which will be voted on by the
people May l, also offers the
possibility of lower rents. As
passed by the legislature the plan
provides for property tax relief
for renters. The relief would
come as a credit on your Oregon
Income Tax and for low income
renters could result in a tax
refund of as much as 21 per cent
of your rent.
If you have a question about a
housing problem, write to
Housing Problems, 319 EMC.
General or common inquiries will
be answered through this
column.
J^S^yoof Mood
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