University students who feel they are being mistreated by their landlords have a new ear to turn to.
OSPIRG launched a free hotline on Tuesday for students who need help facing rental problems. Representatives of the group said they want to inform students of their rights as tenants and the legal obligations of their landlords.
OSPIRG plans to operate the hotline — 346-HELP — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays year-round.
“Eugene is unique in that it doesn’t have a housing code,” University OSPIRG Chairman Tim Johnson said. “Renting is a huge issue for students and people in Eugene.”
Although the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group has crusaded for a cleaner Willamette River and chemical weapons disposal, Johnson said the new Renter’s Rights Campaign addresses an issue that affects more students.
“More than three-quarters of students rent in the city at large,” Johnson said.
One community leader agreed that the hotline would help.
“That’s a big step,” said Paul Reader, owner of Pegasus Smokehouse Pizza and a founding member of the West University Task Force. “Virtually none of (the students) know their basic tenant rights. They are basically bulldozed by many of the landlords by their ignorance and apathy.”
Johnson said that OSPIRG sees a clear need for the hotline.
“About every month, we get 10 to 20 people in the office that come in for renting services,” Johnson said. “Landlords can often take advantage of students because they know they don’t have the financial resources.”
While OSPIRG cannot offer any legal advice, they can point students toward people who are qualified to dispense recommendations, Johnson said.
But the relationship between students and landlords isn’t always filled with strife — some property management companies are interested in ensuring that students know their rights. In fact, Amanda Tuski, a co-owner of Bell Real Estate Inc., said she approves of the new hotline.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” Tuski said. “Often, tenants don’t know the obligations that they have.”
But Johnson said the ignorance can run both ways.
“There are a lot of landlords in the area who don’t know that they have to provide services to renters by law,” he said.
More help may be on the horizon. Although Eugene currently lacks a housing code, one could be implemented soon, according to Reader.
“It’s highly likely that the City Council will pass housing standards that everyone will have to adhere to,” Reader said, adding that he hopes for some kind of proposal by spring.