Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, February 17, 1999
Landlords to be scrutinized
A city ordinance currently allows up to four unrelated people to live in a single-family home, but city officials said it was not being enforced on a wide scale.
By Heather Woodward
Some residents said the lack of enforcement caused more parking problems, more trash and a lack of outdoor maintenance.
Kansan staff writer
The Lawrence City Commission decided at last night's meeting to set up a study session to determine what problems landlords are causing and how to enforce better current ordinances.
Sessions are to start after the new commission is elected April 6
"I received specific calls about the problem this fall and as recently as last month," said Mike Wildgen, city manager. "The complaints rise out of a lack of care for the property. The standards aren't being up."
The staff report that the commission received last night was a study on other cities that are home to Big 12 Conference schools to see what solutions they had come up with.
Matthew Metheny, a former KU student who attends Johnson County Community College, said his house at 1218 Mississippi St. was on a steep hill that his landlord didn't want tenants to mow.
Tenants said they were concerned that landlords might not be keeping up rental property.
"Our landlord said that he wanted to mow the lawn because it was so steep," he said. "In the year and a half that I've lived here, I've seen our landlord mow the vard two or three times."
Wildgen said many of the complaints he had received had come from residents in the Centennial Neighborhood, which is south of 19th Street on Naismith Drive.
Matthew Geerlings, Lawrence graduate student, owns his home at 2216 Naismith Drive but lives next door to rental property.
"The yards are a little trashier, and the outside appearance of the homes are less than desirable, to say the least," Geerlings said. "There are always beer bottles that seem to end up in my yard. I've ruined a couple lawn mower blades that way."
Marilyn Lynch, property manager for Lynch Rentals and Management, said she thought it was the responsibility of landlords to ensure that properties were kept in good shape.
Cooperative offers experience, work
By Jamie Knodel
By sarrie reeves
Kansas staff writer
A KU housing cooperative at 1614 Kentucky St. provides residents with the opportunity to take on more responsibility than typical housing arrangements.
Residents operate, maintain improve and live in the three-story Victorian house.
Seven KU students are experiencing a living arrangement that is conducive to learning interactive relationship skills.
"Living in the co-op helps you learn communication and organization skills," said Tim Kochanski, co-op resident and Lawrence junior.
Kochanski lives in the house with Hannah Bennett, KU graduate, Gayle Goudy, Shawne senior; Heather Wilkinson, Leavenworth junior; Dennis Ostmeier, Lawrence senior; Beau Baker, Kansas City, Kan; senior; Zach Falin, Lawrence graduate student; and Ryan Anderson, Lawrence junior.
Kochanski said each resident was expected to work five hours every week in the house. This requirement includes cleaning one of the house's eight areas.
"It's a work-sharing project," Kochanski said. "All work to maintain and improve the house is divvied equally among those who live there."
He also said the residents had been working on basic house improvements and on finding a 10-person table.
Marci Francisco, president of the University of Kansas Student Housing Association, said that she thought residents were actively involved in the maintenance of the co-op and that residents felt some sense of ownership and responsibility.
"Students actually have some control in their living situations," Francisco said.
Kochanski said co-op living was not as expensive as other housing alternatives. He said rent, including utilities, raned from $190 to $250 a month.
"Co-op residents are willing to trade work and responsibility with the cost of living," Francisco said.
Kochanski also said that if the co-op's expenses were less than the budget, all residents would be refunded.
Francisco said cooperative living attracted resourceful and independent people.
"People who want to have a chance to learn how to cooperate with others are often interested," Francisco said.
Residents said there were codes they were expected to follow. They are expected to participate in a fair share of work, maintain community property for use by others, treat others with respect and support the survival of the cooperative.
"It'll all fairly fair now, so we are still forming rules." Kochanski said.
The co-op at 1614 Kentucky St. began last August. The property is owned by the University of Kansas Student Housing Association. This group is not affiliated with the University of Kansas Department of Student Housing.
In recent years, Sunflower House has had to turn away applicants because of capacity limitations
The University of Kansas Student Housing Association also owns the Sunflower House, a cooperative house at 1406 Tennessee St.
Francisco said this caused the group to see a need to create more cooperative living space.
Sunflower house has 31 bedrooms, while the Kentucky Street co-op only can house eight people.
Senate vote may raise student fees for extra aid
3y Nadia Mustafa
Sansan staff writer
Student Senate will vote on a $2 student fee increase at 6:30 tonight at the Big 12 Room in the Kansas Union.
The Senate Finance Committee passed the increase last week through a bill that would designate the extra funds to the Educational Opportunity Fee, which gives student organizations and academic departments financial aid.
Nicole Skalla, Senate transportation coordinator and the bill's sponsor, said that some senators were weary about increasing student fees but that she did not think $2 was an unreasonable amount.
"I don't think the bill will have too much trouble passing." Skalla said. "The money is for such a good cause because it goes to valid organizations for valid reasons."
If Senate passes the bill, it must be approved by the Chancellor and the Board of Regents for the fee increase to go into effect.
Also at tonight's meeting, Michael Haines of Northern Illinois University will discuss his philosophy on the prevention of alcohol abuse and how he thinks the university of Kansas should spend its $450,000 grant from the Kansas Health Foundation to fight underage drinking.
David Ambler, vice chancellor of student affairs, said Haines had good ideas about preventing alcohol abuse by students.
"I think he's onto something," he said. "He's got the figures to back up what he's saying."
WTW architects also will present their preliminary suggestions for renovations to the Kansas Union.
Senate also will consider bills to finance the KU Student Lecture Series, Asian-American Festival, Engineering Expo 99 and International Awareness Week.