New proposal may change housing code IJpassed, rental units in the city would face stricter requirements for 'habitable conditions’ By Teri Meeuwsen Higher Education Heporter When business and compara tive literature major Paul Thomp son moved into his house with four other roommates last year, it wasn’t up to the best of standards for someone to live in. “It was a disaster,” Thompson said. “There were feces on the floor, dog or human. It looked like someone had broken into it before we moved in. We didn’t have dou ble-pane windows; there wasn’t any weatherstripping. It was just a mess.” In November the Eugene City Council will hear a new rental housing code proposal that will require landlords to register their rental units under stricter habit able conditions requirements than those currently required. The con dition that Thompson found his home in would become a violation of the housing code and a thing of the past. The proposed code, prepared by the Departmental Advisory Committee to the Planning and Development Committees of Eu gene, would follow the Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act that is in effect now, but would include and enforce a more specific definition of “habitable conditions.” John Davidson, who works for Legal Services at the University and is part of the advisory commit tee to the city, said the definition used now requires landlords to keep their rentals up to standards that eliminate hazards or threats to life. But the new definition would include better weather protection, heating facilities, and ventilation systems and would require work ing locks for individual rooms that are rented, such as in quads. Funding for the proposed code would come from a one-time $12 per-unit fee at registration, a $12 per-month penalty for not being registered under the new code, a 2.5 percent-per-annum fee on se curity deposits and prepaid rent deposits and the fines property owners would pay for violations of the code’s provisions. Joy Poust, a broker for Spyglass Associates, said she feels the pro posed code wouldn’t be fair to those involved. “I feel we are already covered by the state code, and with the short age of money in the city and the small percentage of those prob lems, it wouldn’t be fair for land lords to pay for the inspections," she said. “I think in the end, it would reflect in the rent going up, and nobody wants that.” Davidson said these new re quirements will help keep Eu gene’s rentals in better condition for current and future tenants. ‘Tve already written to 180 landlords this year,” he said. “It's that time of year that we get com plaints about habitability and weather proofing.” According to a draft of the pro posed code, if a tenant files for an inspection request after a formal complaint is made to the city, the rental housing would be inspect ed for the new requirements with the exception of the threat to life and/or health. If those require ments are not met, the landlords would be assigned a time period to meet them. If the problems are not fixed in the proposed time, the rentals will be subject to sched uled annual inspections until the units pass two consecutive in spections, or until they are no longer rental units. For students who have ques tions about their rights and re sponsibilities, a renter’s handbook in the Legal Aid Office of Eugene is available for a donation of $1. Students can visit Legal Services in EMU Room 334. LIVING WITH DIABETES Support & information for individuals with Diabetes. Also open to friends and family of individual diabetics. • Monday, October 13 • 6:00-7:00 p.m. • Carson Hall (dorm) Gold Room For more details call the Health Center Pharmacy 346-4454 HEALTH CENTER • 13TH & AGATE • 346-2770 http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/UOSHC/ @ http://www.nwcities.com Vivit us nffpnf L A one-stop 'virtual community' with the most up-to-date and complete Information about the entire northwest Bookmark nwcltles.com t i go there to find restaurants with fbod you can really sink your teeth info, or whom to call to fix your teeth A great site for a home or great sights along the incredibly beautiful coastline Check out the weather or the business climate tor Business or ror run The University of Oregon and The Carlton Raymond and Wilberta Ripley Savage Endowment in International Relations and Peace present lyra<?Iiy and Pateytiniany: Darratiu^y of Identity and P<?ac<? by Professor Rashid Khalidi Department of History, Director, Center for International Studies University of Chicago Professor Khalidi is the Carlton Savage Fellow in International Relations and Peace for Fall term at the University of Oregon. His public address and recent book "Palestinian Identity" (Columbia University Press, 1997) offer a context for better understanding the historic and current conflicts in the Middle East. Thursday, October 16th, 7:30 pm Beall Concert Hall, University of Oregon Free and Open to the Public For more information, call the Center for Asian & Pacific Studies, (541) 346-5087 If you agree with us: That sleeping is not a crime That everyone should have a legal place to sleep without harassment or arrest Come to our VIGIL Supporting The Campaign for Legal Places to Sleep Today: Monday, October 13, 4:30 p.m., City Hail, 8th & Pearl Sponsored by the Eugene / Springfield Homeless Action Coalition, 344-2363 and the Eugene Friends Meeting OTHER CAMPAIGN EVENTS THIS MONTH October 20, Monday: Vigil: Springfield City Hall, 225 5th St. 430 p.m. October 21, Tuesday: Call-in to local government. Ask; what are you doing to provide all-year legal places to sleep for places to sleep for homeless persons? October 25, Saturday: Nonviolence Training (Just in case) Eugene Friends Meeting House, 2274 Onyx St„ 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. If interested, phone ASAP so we know how many to expect. October 27, Monday: Vigil: Eugene City Hall, 4:30 to 6 p.m.