Council hopefuls
eye housing plan
■ City council candidates hope
Eugene can follow Corvallis’ lead
to implement housing standards
By Brad Schmidt
Oregon Daily Emerald
While city councilor candidates
and ASUO members continue to
call for city-regulated rental hous
ing standards, Corvallis already has
a housing code proposal that could
be implemented as early as July 1,
a lead many local citizens hope Eu
gene will follow.
Eugene does not have a city-regu
lated housing code, and ASUO
Community Outreach Coordinator
Megan Hughes said a plan similar
to the housing code in Corvallis
would be a much-needed solution.
With the primary election Tues
day, both candidates vying to rep
resent University students on the
city council said a housing code
would improve living conditions
in the campus area and through
out the city.
The Corvallis housing code
would affect all rentals within the
city limit, an estimated 11,500
units. For each unit, landlords
would pay $8 annually to support
the city’s housing code program.
The estimated $92,000 would be
used to create and enforce housing
standards in the areas of plumbing,
heating and structural soundness.
The code would also require local
units to adequately withstand
weather conditions.
The code would financially pe
nalize landlords who refuse to pay
annual fees or comply with the new
standards. The fines would range
from one-time $100 citations to dai
ly assessments of more than $250.
Those who fail to pay fines can
expect to have a lien placed against
their property.
“At this point in time, I’m sure it’s
going to happen,” said Bob Loewen,
housing programs specialist for the
Corvallis Community Development
Department — Housing Division.
r~.. " . . ■ "
Corvallis city councilors will |
vote on the proposal June 3. With a
unanimous vote, it will go into ef- 1
feet July 1. Without unanimous ap
proval, the proposal will be resub
mitted two weeks later, when only
a majority vote-will be necessary for
its passage, Loewen said.
Investigation into Corvallis hous
ing began in 1997, when the Asso
ciated Students of Oregon State
University presented a proposal to
city councilors suggesting the im
plementation of a housing code. In
response, the city requested the
housing division gather data. After
more than two years of investiga
tion, a proposal was submitted ear
lier this year.
The proposal is very similar to
state laws already in place. With
the exception of a proposed stan
dard that would require heating to
reach at least 68 degrees three feet
above the floor, there is little differ
ence, Loewen said.
“The real change is that there is
local enforcement,” Loewen said.
If implemented, Loewen said the
proposal will meet tenant wishes
for quick resolutions to conflicts.
Currently, options for tenants are
limited.
If housing standards are not
maintained, tenants can ask a land
lord to make improvements, do the
work themselves and ask for reim
bursement, or sue a landlord.
“There’s no one at the state you
can go to,” Loewen said.
Loewen said he thinks most
landlords will comply with the
proposal and added that Oregon
State University students should
benefit from the changes. But
Loewen said most landlords will
increase rent-related fees, ultimate
ly meaning that tenants will fund
the program.
Current Eugene Ward 3 City
Councilor David Kelly said he
hopes Eugene will take steps to
adopt a similar city housing plan.
The Corvallis plan, he said,
Turn to Housing, page 8
014062
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