19th Ward Community Association
Housing Committee
Meeting Notes
October 27, 2011

Present: John Boutet, Marian Boutet, Kathleen Connelly, Dan DeMarle, Peter Evans, De Wain Feller, Lee Krist, June Rose, Diane Watkins, Helen Wiesner

Kathleen Connolly of Weldon Street, near Scottsville Road, spoke on problems with the increasing numbers of properties that are being converted to student housing for both RIT and UR. Many of the properties are being converted illegally, and many house more than the allowed number (4) of unrelated individuals. NSC has been contacted, but their response is that it’s hard to enforce these limits.

She would like to know which groups of students - i.e.; freshmen, graduate, post graduate, etc. – the universities are steering to our neighborhood. Is there an off-campus Code of Conduct? Laurel Contomancilis and Keisha Brookins are contacts at the UR. Keisha Brookins directs “off-campus” housing.

Renting houses to large numbers of students is much more lucrative than renting to families, so these properties are becoming unaffordable to families. In some cases, the current owners are being approached to sell to landlords for the purpose of renting to students.

Some of the problems are:

• There is always at least one “party animal” in a house, resulting in noise late into the night and early morning hours.
• Properties are being permanently structurally altered to make more sleeping rooms, including third floors being illegally converted for occupancy.
• Back yards are paved over for parking.
• Building permits are not obtained.
• Yards are not maintained
• Sidewalks are not shoveled

Ofc. Kristin Runyon was very effective in dealing with the students, but the situation has deteriorated since she has been on medical leave.

Actions:

• Link with the Upper Mt. Hope Neighborhood Association, which has had similar problems and has been effective in addressing them – DeWain Feller.
• Link with Adam McFadden regarding a meeting with the mayor that included Gary Kirkmire, Director of Inspection & Compliance Services for the city. The issues related to the influx of college students and student-directed rentals in our neighborhood were discussed. At that meeting there was also discussion of allowing inspectors more leeway/authority to enter homes as a way to try to address some of these problems. – DeWain Feller.
• Determine if a formal CPO Liaison to UR has been named in Ofc. Runyon’s absence – John Boutet.
• Ask UR and RIT to consider funding positions to monitor student behavior in these off-campus properties; i.e., make them a part of Campus Security’s patrols - Future.
• Establish a program to track student-occupied properties and their landlords - Future
• Check UR online housing site for landlord names and properties – Marian Boutet
• Housing Court exists in the City of Rochester that should be investigated and details of its workings determined. Adam McFadden has information – Helen Wiesner.

Other reports:

96 Chili Avenue – Adam McFadden did a walk-through. Funding for repairs needs to be found – DeWain Feller.

Adjourned at 8:40 PM
Next meeting: Wednesday, November 1, 11 am

Submitted by Marian Boutet