Two Penn State fraternities have collected enough violations that they may have their rental permits suspended by the borough, forcing fraternity members to find somewhere else to live.

Borough Health Officer Mark Henry told the State College Borough Council on Monday night that Tau Kappa Epsilon, 346 E. Prospect Ave., and Phi Kappa Tau, 408 E. Fairmount Ave., have had enough violations, including disorderly conduct and fire code violations, to face suspension.

Tonight, borough officials will meet to discuss the issue, at which point they will decide what action to take.

This is the first time properties in the State College borough have ever reached the point of permit revocation, Borough Planning Director Carl Hess said, adding that the suspension process on rental properties began 10 years ago.

Hess said rental properties are evaluated on a point system, with points being awarded for every violation a property receives. Hess said violations such as not shoveling sidewalks or leaving garbage on the street are only worth one point, while criminal violations -- disorderly conduct or furnishing alcohol to minors -- are worth two or three points. He said once a property reaches five points, the tenants receive a formal notice. At 10 points, tenants face permit revocation.

"As points begin to accumulate, we notify people that their behavior needs to be modified. We [sit] and meet with president of the active chapter and that process starts when you are halfway there," Hess said. "We send out a notice when you are at five points."

Hess said borough officials sit down and look at all the different types of violations. Criminal behaviors are always considered more detrimental to the neighborhood than other types of violations.

Hess said the borough does not want to revoke permits, it just wants tenants to correct their behavior. At the intervention meeting, he said they come up with ways properties can fix their behavior. He said properties that rack up five points usually take a proactive approach and change their behavior, no longer having any problems.

"Generally speaking, that's a far as it gets," Hess said. "The issue is taken care of. The only other time we have gotten to a permit suspension was with a single-family house that was a rental. Depending on outcome of this process, this will be first time we have had a suspension."

Hess said if a rental permit is revoked, the members of the fraternities will have to move out at the end of the house's lease period, and the house will stay empty for six months. He said following that six-month period, the members can move back in, and then they are put on probation for five years. Hess said if the house receives a second suspension, racking up another 10 points in the following five-year probation period, it would then be suspended again -- this time for 12 months.

Tau Kappa Epsilon president Vito Pugliano and Phi Kappa Tau president Eugene Corradetti did not return phone calls by press time.