Housing Advisory seeks PSU students

The Rental Housing Advisory Commission, a local organization designed to educate landlords and renters, is seeking students to fill two of the three positions open.

Two vacancies are available to residents of the Centre Region, said Cathy Prosek, secretary for the Rental Housing Advisory Commission. One of these positions is open to a student. A separate position under the same commission is open only to residents of Patton Township, she said. Patton Township officials are searching for a student to fill that slot.

The housing commission is organized through the Centre Region Council of Governments (COG). The commission includes about 11 representatives from: State College Borough, Patton Township, Ferguson Township, Harris Township, COG, the University, the Undergraduate Student Government, local apartment real-estate agents, the USG Department of Town Affairs and a senior citizen.

"We try to keep the balance between students and landlords fairly even," said Jason Liggett, executive secretary for COG.

Each township holds one position on the commission and currently Patton Township is seeking applicants to fill its open slot. The township is attempting to attract student applicants by the Feb. 11 deadline, Tracy Focht, Patton Township secretary said. The township contacted USG and also ran an ad in last Friday's edition of The Daily Collegian.

In order to recruit students who are residents of Patton Township, the township has also advertised in some of the bigger apartments such as University Commons, 201 Vairo Blvd., and Jefferson Commons, 601 Vairo Blvd., said Jay Birdsell, co-director of Town Affairs.

"They tried to recruit applicants through those realtors," Birdsell said, "but had no luck."

USG will also attempt to recruit students who are residents of Patton Township to serve on the commission, Birdsell said. USG will use word of mouth and possibly advertising to spread the word. He added that the more exposure there is, the better.

Finding students to apply for the Patton Township position may be a difficult process simply because the students must be residents of the township which is located north of campus, Birdsell said.

Blair Schwartz, government relations chair for USG said at this point USG is aware the positions are open and will attempt to involve students.

"If we push hard enough we're generally successful in getting students onto these boards," Schwartz said.

There is no deadline for the student position open to all Centre Region residents. Schwartz said those openings will be discussed at the next Senate meeting Feb. 12.

Although the housing commission does not meet often, Schwartz said she still thinks it is important for students to become part of the local government.

The committee holds meetings open to the public about four times a year, said local real-estate agent Pat Long, who also serves as the commission chair and is a real-estate agent for Kissinger, Bigatel & Brower, Realtors, 1321 S. Atherton St. The commission works on recommendations from the Centre Region Codes Administration and the State College Planning Commission, Long said.

In the past, the commission has created brochures to help local tenants and landlords familiarize themselves with the legal aspects of handling property, Prosek said.

"This commission tries to meet the needs not of the large apartment owners, but of those who would be considered in the 'mom and pop' category," Prosek said.

• Students or residents who live in the Centre Region and are interested in applying for the two general open positions on the housing commission can contact James Steff, executive director of COG at 231-3077.
  

• Students who reside in Patton Township and are interested in applying for the housing commission can contact the Patton Township Municipal Office at 234-0271.
  

• For either position, students may contact USG Department of Town Affairs at 865-6851.