Twilight Zoning in Bellingham: An Interesting Discovery at Western Washington University.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

An Interesting Discovery at Western Washington University.

A previous blog entry (click here to read it) spoke to advertising in the Western Front in which a local property management firm placed an ad for homes with 2 to 5 bedrooms within easy walk of WWU. Speaking with some WWU students the other day, I found several who were planning to move in groups of 5 into single family homes in the York Neighborhood. They expressed surprised when I apprised them of the zoning regulations prohibiting such rentals.

This should not shock those who might take a casual stroll through the Viking Union, as I did last week. There, next to the US post office annex, was a bulletin board with housing rental offers (each bearing the approval of the relevant office of the Viking Union) of single family homes most of which expressly stated that the rentals were available for 4-6 persons. A particular ad even provided a per person rate. One home was at 21^st and Mills, another on James St. in the York Neighborhood, yet another on Racine St. and finally one on 34^th St where, by the bye, a homeowner recently received a lower home valuation by the assessor’s office due to the proliferation of illegal rooming houses on that street.

So, here we have an office within WWU which is approving the posting of ads from landlords who are clearly violating the Bellingham Municipal Code. (Check the WWU on-line ad list yourself by clicking here. Then click on List Your Rental Unit or Room [for listing agents] and then click on View Rental List) Why is the university allowing the posting of such ads? Our least expectation is that WWU would ensure that it does not become involved in activities which have a propensity to support scofflaw landlords. The university could also post notices with the text of the city’s law and declare it highly recommends not entering into rental situations which are clearly code violations. No wonder then that the students profess ignorance of city laws when the university gives its tacit approval. Perhaps the Mayor could pen a note to the WWU hierarchy asking that they cease involvement in such advertising.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Good Evening Dick....

Haven't posted in awhile due to some medical issues and travel. Your post about the tacit approval of WWU in posting ads soliciting people to partake in an illegal enterprise is spot on. I'm now convinced that our city government is the best government special interest groups can buy and that the city is, in fact, owned and operated by WWU.

However, WWU isn't the only scofflaw institution in the game here. Whatcom Community College is also very adept at the game. One of the illegal boarding houses across the street from me has in filled with people attending WCC and are players on the basketball team. The interesting aspect of this is that one of the assistant coaches in concert with the head coach are 2nd job employees of the slum lord that runs this house. In fact, the basketball coaches are actually placing people in house. The house has become a party house, a trash dump and an eyesore to the neighborhood in addition to a parking nightmare for those of us who are owner occupants. So here we have a taxpayer supported community college with employees of the college teaching the students that it's in fact, OK to disrespect the neighbors and break the law to suit their needs.

I'm sorry to say Dick that I think we have lost the war.

Larry M.; May 17, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Zonemaven said...: Larry,

Thanks for the tip on WCC. I will check further on this. Look for more in a future blog entry; May 19, 2008 at 2:50 PM

The Rationale for Rental Licensing

There is the definitive experience of cities that have already adopted rental licensing and inspections in the face of exactly the same opposition as we saw in Bellingham over the last decade. Ultimately, each of these cities was proven correct in its resolve to move ahead to protect the safety and health of the renters. We already know that the city of Pasco, WA found that 15% of the units inspected under their program had serious life/safety issues. 10% had mold problems. A full 85% had problems of varying degrees. The city of Gresham, OR performed over 1600 inspections in 2009 and issued, as a result, over 4,000 citations. Lexington, KY performed inspections of units near the University of Kentucky and found that 50% had life/safety issues. Sacramento, CA began an inspection program during which one third of the units inspected had serious safety and health issues. The question why does anyone believe that the condition of rental housing here in Bellingham does not mirror that which is found in cities that have the statistics to show that time and time again the condition of rentals in our cities is problematic? All we have had to date from those who oppose licensing are broad statements by the landlords and their paladins that are completely and utterly unsubstantiated. The Zonemaven has searched in vain for the horror stories that these opponents of licensing and inspections have predicted. On the other hand, The Zonemaven did find over 100 cities that have licensing AND inspections without the catastrophic effect for the rental markets that the landlords would have you believe. (See this blog's sidebar at bottom left for list)

One Reason Illegal Rooming Houses Do Not Work

The limit for unrelated persons at a single family home rental is three residents. Leases are signed by three people who then invite additional renters to join them to lower per capita rental rates. The perverse effect is that rental rates tend to rise under these circumstances making it difficult for single families to rent single family homes. Some local rental agencies facilitate this practice.

"To say that a family is so equivalent to a ragtag collection of college roommates as to require identical treatment in zoning decisions defies the reality of the place of the family in American society, despite any changes that institution has undergone in recent years. Only the most cynical among us would say that the American family has devolved to the point of no greater importance or consideration in governmental decision making than a group of college roommates." (Stegeman v. City of Ann Arbor)

That being said, accommodation ought to be made for protected classes, especially non-traditional unions and group houses for the disabled. These classes are laid out in federal and Washington State law.