Start anew
Renewing discriminatory housing puts new name on old plan

During the past year, State College and the University have been plagued with the continuing problem of property rentals.

Plans such as square footage and PENU have been put by the wayside to make way for the State College Planning Commission's new plan -- Ratio, Enforcement, Neighbors and University (RENU).

RENU is basically the old PENU plan with a new name. Likewise, it does not give students any credit for maturity. Students are adults -- not beer-bottle-smashing, noise-decible-breaking delinquents.

It is time for the Organization for Town Independent Students and Undergraduate Student Goverment President Mike King to step in again and renew their efforts as representatives of the student body. King's previous work fighting unfair housing plans saved a significant number of students from off-campus discrimination.

One of the major faults of the plan is the potential for discrimination. The plan would allow neighbors to form private agreements -- without the involvement of the borough -- about how and to whom they would rent property. Not only would that allow discrimination against students, but would also legally allow property owners to discriminate on the basis of race, sex and religion.

The plan is also unfair to the area's property owners because it would limit the number of rental properties on a block-face basis. Landowners who invested in property with the intention of renting it may not have the opportunity if there are more rentals than the allowed percentage (yet to be determined) under RENU. If a person purchases property with the intent to rent it, he or she should have the right to do so.

RENU would also hold property owners responsible for the actions of their tenants. Individuals should be responsible for themselves. It is not the responsibility of the landlord to play baby sitter.

The final portion of the plan may possibly involve the University taking disciplinary actions against students who violate laws off campus. The University should not play mother or father to off-campus students. Once students leave the campus, they are no longer the University's responsibility but the responsibility of the State College Police Department.

The plan also wants the University to educate the students about off-campus living. But that idea would inconvenience all students for the irresponsible and immature actions of a few.

The commission tries to sugar-coat RENU by stating the plan may allow more than three unrelated people to live together in high-density residental areas such as the proposed urban village, the area surrounding parts of West College Avenue. That is not enough to help the plan's passage.

RENU presents a stale, overused answer to State College's age-old housing problems, infringing on the rights of all students because of the actions of a few.