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Group urges tenant awareness
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Also by Becky Vevea:
- Union hosts forum on worker worries (March 11, 2008)
- Group urges tenant awareness (February 29, 2008)
- Comedians compete for 'smiles' at Madison Avenue (February 27, 2008)
- Republicans watch as leader surges ahead of pack (February 20, 2008)
- Student’s project to air on ‘Montel’ (February 7, 2008)
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- Tenant center loses funding appeal (November 9, 2006)
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by Becky Vevea
Friday, February 29, 2008
Landlords take note: The Student Tenant Union held its kickoff event Thursday night discussing plans to teach students how to exercise their rights as renters.
Despite a small turnout, organizers were still optimistic about the future, emphasizing tenant education, legislative advocacy and housing counseling.
“What we hope for [this group] to be about is empowering people who are in the organization and empowering the students they help, that it’s really sort of a circular thing,” said Jennie Mauer, STU organizer.
University of Wisconsin junior Lauren Michels suggested compiling a list of “landlord horror stories” to distribute to students.
“I had a horrendous experience with this landlord on Gilman Street, so anything I can do to help other people who are in a similar situation I was in, I’m all for it,” Michels said.
According to STU organizers, 75 percent of UW students live off campus. Mauer added housing counseling would help student tenants with security deposits, repairs, evictions and subletting.
“We’ll train people to be volunteers and housing counselors, and they’re going to become better advocates for themselves, and then they’re going to educate other students,” Mauer said.
City Council member Brenda Konkel, District 5, talked about STU’s legislative advocacy program to help pass legislation favoring tenants’ rights.
“We can win if we have a group of people behind us who are helping to support legislation,” Konkel added.
Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, spoke more specifically about the photo ordinance he introduced that the housing committee is working on passing through the council.
“[Landlords] have to have photographic evidence of the damages that they are deducting,” Judge said.
He added landlords are “nickel and diming” tenants, making it easier for them to get away with unnecessary charges.
Chair of STU, Joseph Lindstrom, said they would hold a training session March 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for people interested in working for the organization.
“There are still plenty of opportunities for people to get involved,” Lindstrom added.
Next year, STU plans to have headquarters located in the Student Activity Center in University Square, where students will be able to hold paid positions or earn course credit as housing counselors.
“This is a really great opportunity for students who are thinking of going to law school to learn about tenant landlord law or students thinking of going into social work,” Mauer said.
Lindstrom said there are plans for a Tenant Education Week this April to get the word out. Since most students have already signed leases, organizers want to focus on tenant rights regarding subletting and moving in.
They hope to have another Tenant Education Week in the fall.
STU plans to develop a website — including a “Rate My Landlord” section — and start a Facebook group, Lindstrom added.
Anonymous (February 29, 2008 @ 7:22am):
Eli Judge and Joe Lindstrom working together to help tenants?!
Danny Spirn's head must have EXPLODED! Does Eli Judge not know that Spirn has accused Lindstrom of EXTREME anti-Semitism, for no real reason at all? (Further proof to back up Spirn's ludicrous claim: Lindstrom is an Obama supporter, whose church's preacher Rev. Wright once went to Libya with Farrakhan, an EXTREME anti-Semite. Ergo, Lindstrom=anti-Semite. Though, of course, with his Obama support and newfound alliance with Lindstrom... ELI JUDGE MUST BE AN ANTI-SEMITE ACCORDING TO DANNY SPIRN!)
Seriously, Danny Spirn's idiocy aside, this is good news for tenants. Kudos to Judge and Lindstrom.
Anonymous (February 29, 2008 @ 11:46am):
I'm glad they're starting a facebook group. Maybe they can call it "One thousand strong for Tenants' Rights" or "For every 100 people that join this group, I will sue one landlord" - it'll be great.
Anonymous (February 29, 2008 @ 3:49pm):
Joe Lindstrom wrote a very offensive column that made very close to anti-jewish claims against a UW student last year. Props to Danny Spirn for standing up against it. Lindstrom's tactics were the standard Austin King/Ashok Kumar/Karl Rove tactics that drive people apart, only for profit, in this case, another victory on their belts.
Anonymous (February 29, 2008 @ 3:51pm):
oh, for the record, Austin King posts under fake names on the Critical Badger.
Anonymous (March 1, 2008 @ 2:42am):
Why would the Critical Badger be mad? Doesn't this only prove his thesis? Joe Lindstrom who hated Eli Judge now supports him. Looks like it proves the Critical Badger right and Austin King wrong! Score another one for the blogs and another loss for King Austin and Prince Kumar!
Anonymous (March 1, 2008 @ 3:49pm):
Brenda Konkel is District 2, Robbie Webber is District 5.
Anonymous (March 1, 2008 @ 8:18pm):
Dude, the Critical Badger was proven correct when Lauren Woods turned out to be a flop, ASM a joke, Judge a winner, and Kumar irrelevent. Sweet blog.
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