Students invited to join housing advisory board

By ANGELA J. GATES
Collegian Staff Writer

Local government officials are asking students to represent their views and concerns by taking advantage of positions designated especially for students on a rental housing board and commission.

A student position is open on both the Rental Housing Revocation Appeal Board and the Centre Region Rental Housing Advisory Commission, two forums for tenant concerns, said Elizabeth Goreham, State College Borough Council member.

"There should be some public forum to make sure landlords are encouraged by local government to be sensitive to the needs of tenants," Goreham said, because tenants are not treated as fairly as they could be.

There is no formal renter organization or tenant-landlord mediation council currently, she said.

Many landlords and realtors, however, are involved in local government, but few students are involved, she added.

Students make up the majority of renters in the borough and are therefore renters' best representatives, said Charlene Harrison, chair of the Rental Housing Advisory Commission.

If there were students on the board or commission, other students would have someone to direct concerns to about issues they feel are being overlooked, Goreham said.

Serving on the board or commission would not be too time consuming for busy students because the groups only meet four times per year or as needed, she said.

Open lines of communication between student renters and landlords are important, said Laurie Smith, property manager of Falk Realty, 532 E. College Ave.

Housing and rental problems usually arise from a lack of communication between students and landlords, she said, which could be remedied by having the groups work together on the same board or commission.

While serving in the positions, students could address their concerns to apartment owners and landlords while gaining valuable insight into the landlords' perspective in housing issues, Smith said.

Students interested in serving a one-year term for the advisory committee can apply to the Centre Region Council of Governments. Those willing to serve a three-year term for the appeal board can apply to the borough council.