Imagine a world in which large houses near Northwestern’s campus stand empty while hundreds of students live throughout the middle and southern parts of Evanston, scattered in clusters near various El stations and bus stops. You’re imagining the world under strict enforcement of Evanston’s long-standing “brothel rule” and it may become reality when the city begins to enforce the law in July. The Daily firmly believes that enforcement of the long-unenforced ordinance, which prohibits more than three unrelated residents from living in the same dwelling, is ill-advised and could have catastrophic consequences for both the NU and Evanston communities.
The Evanston city government, the University administration and the NU student body each play a role in this situation. We ask each to do what they can to prevent enforcement of this misguided law.
To the city:
It’s no secret that city officials aren’t using this ordinance for its initial purpose of maintaining safe living spaces (most of these houses and apartments have ample room for tenants to share space anyway). Instead, officials are using the law in the hopes that it will cut down on loud and messy off-campus partying by preventing large groups of students from living together. We understand that Evanston residents are frustrated with partying and may be eager to use this technical law to get back at students. But to focus on the disruption caused by a few students as an indication for student life is misguided and unfair.
Yes, parties do happen, but in a college town that is to be expected. City officials should ask themselves if enforcement of this law will stop student partying. The answer is that it will not.
Instead, enforcing the code will simply move the parties farther apart, which could negatively impact enforcement; it is easier for police to patrol a limited area than to drive from one side of town to another.
In addition, the underlying reasons of garbage, noise, and parties (cited by Jeff Murphy, Evanston’s division manager of building and inspection services, in defending the ordinance) are each valid concerns. They are also each addressed by specific laws in the Evanston City Code – laws that should be enforced as the appropriate remedies for individual problems.
Meanwhile, there are serious economic implications to consider. Many of the houses in violation of the ordinance are houses that could not be sold and were subsequently rented out to students. But students will not be able to afford to rent these houses if they cannot split the rent between more than three people.
The quality of living a student is willing to pay for versus a family varies. Landlords often do not have the funds to upgrade these houses to match the quality that many buyers in the North Shore are looking for. Thus, without student occupancy, these houses could very well stand empty. That is obviously detrimental to the city’s real estate market and is also dangerous for neighboring residents.
In addition, Evanston benefits greatly from the 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students who eat, shop, watch movies and more in the city. If students are forced to move farther from the downtown economic center, their consumption will certainly decrease. That too will be detrimental to the city.
Evanston officials should consider the ultimate impact of enforcing the ordinance. Once they do, we are confident they will realize it will be harmful, not helpful.
To the administration:
The Northwestern administration has decided against lobbying the city for a repeal of this ordinance and are instead advising students to seek out housing options farther from campus.
The Daily is shocked by this development. How can we take University President Morton Schapiro and his administration seriously when they claim that the creation of an NU student “community” is a top priority while they openly ask students to move farther from campus? Surely they understand that students living throughout Evanston, instead of near campus, will be devastating for any sense of community – a feeling which is already rendered difficult to achieve by the almost 40 percent of undergraduates who live off campus.
They must also realize that students living far from campus will be detrimental to student life. Students are busy people, and shaping lives around bus schedules is not just inconvenient – it’s harmful to productivity, academic enrichment and student group participation.
It is important for administrators to remember that NU students are drawn to off-campus housing as a sensible step toward independent adult living – no longer are CA’s or meal plans necessary. Other universities, like Wesleyan, have university-supported, apartment-style housing that support this transition. But with no such option at NU, nearby off-campus living functions as a necessary option. Without it, the University’s reputation and ability to function as a top-tier university are at risk.
The administration is proud of its skyrocketing application numbers, and rightfully so. But those numbers will be at risk once this ordinance is strictly enforced. After all, what student wants to take a train to class and on-campus events?
But administrators have more to fear than its student experience and its application numbers. Student safety is also at issue. Students living farther from campus will make late night walks home from the University Library and on-campus events longer and thus, more dangerous.
Given these facts, it is imperative the NU administration recognize the damage the ordinance will do to the University and lobby city officials not to enforce it.
To the students:
While the city and the University will be hurt by strict enforcement of this ordinance, it is undeniable that the primary victims will be NU students.
Thankfully, students have a voice in this discussion. They must seize it and urge the other involves parties to prioritize this issue.
Tonight – Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. – administration officials (including Dean of Students Burgwell Howard and Assistant Dean of Students Betsi Burns) and Evanston officials will hold a town hall meeting in the McCormick Auditorium of the Norris University Center to discuss off-campus housing issues, including the ordinance.
We urge all students to attend tonight’s meeting and make their representatives understand the dramatic negative consequences of strict enforcement of this ordinance.
