Tenants of Westmoreland will be allowed to remain in their apartments until Aug. 31, 2006, the University decided Friday.
Previously, tenants were supposed to leave by June 30, but Vice President for Finance and Administration Frances Dyke said the University is still waiting for the Department of Justice to do the necessary paperwork so it can sell Westmoreland. Dyke expects the University will receive this paperwork within the next week. At that point the University can formally begin dealings with developers. She said the process of the sale has taken longer than expected.
Because of this delay, Dyke said, the University is able to let tenants stay through August. Three surveys distributed to childcare users, graduate students and Westmoreland residents found a demand for summer housing, Dyke said. For instance, some students may need to take classes summer term to graduate or may need time after graduating to plan for the next phase of their lives.
“We think it’s nothing,” Westmoreland Tenants Council chairwoman Bing Li said, adding that even with extra time to find new housing, Westmoreland residents still have no guarantee of finding affordable housing and child care anywhere else.
“Most of us are still here and we still keep the same opinion to opposing the sale,” she said.
Li said there will be a meeting on Feb. 1 in the Westmoreland community room from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to prepare to address the State Board of Higher Education.
– Eva Sylwester