In an effort to gain more student input on mold and housing issues, the Eugene City Council’s Rental Housing Department Advisory Committee will host a meeting tonight in the EMU. With such a large population of student tenants in Eugene, it is imperative that students voice their opinions at tonight’s meeting.
Tenants’ complaints have been dismissed and disregarded in a growing, inelastic market. With the fall of the housing market, students must now compete with former homeowners for housing. All tenants should encourage the City to give them stronger rights in an uncompromising housing climate.
Mold prevention is the responsibility of both tenants and landlords. Tenants have the responsibility to take preventative measures to stop the growth of mold, which includes cleaning moldy surfaces regularly. Simple steps such as turning on fans or opening windows while showering can greatly reduce mold problems. Landlords are responsible for responding to mold problems in a timely manner and ensuring that preventative measures like ceiling fans are available to tenants. Tenants should also inform landlords of problematic areas during their residency.
Communication between landlords and tenants will not happen without encouragement from the City. These two parties are currently wrapped up in finger pointing while they should be collectively attacking the issue. It is the City’s responsibility to ensure that landlords are responsible for handling mold problems when they are reported.
Most mold does not pose a major health threat. People with allergies may notice their eyes watering and noses running when they walk into a moldy room, but only people with pre-existing immune deficiencies must use caution when dealing with mold. While small amounts of mold on sinks or showers may not be alarming, the problem should be dealt with before the mold takes over an entire bathroom. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests that, for mold areas less than 10 square feet, rubber gloves and disinfectant are all that is needed for a safe cleanup.
Gresham, Ore. adopted a code from New Haven, Conn. that serves as an excellent example for other cities. The code establishes random checks for various complexes during the year. If problems are found in one room, the entire complex may be searched. Landlords then have a 30-day grace period to correct violations before they are fined. The code protects poor tenants who do not have the funds necessary to bring their offending landlords to court. The code also creates a standard for livability, which raises the community standards as a whole.
The Emerald understands that landlords reserve the right to run their businesses as cost-effectively as possible, but when they fail to provide the adequate tools necessary to deal with mold problems, the city must step in to ensure safe housing for all tenants.
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