A Broad Recognition
A News article analyzes why A2 appears on so many “best cities” lists. The conclusion: “There is a very broad recognition of the fact that Ann Arbor is undeniably one of the best cities in the country,” Mayor Hieftje says.
And an A2 landlord has figured out why students aren’t happy with the rental housing in this town. They “do not…understand a life of responsible independence. With their families’ average household income at $180,000 a year, one should not be surprised that many of them condescend to decent middle-class housing,” writes Christopher Heaton on the letters page.
There you students go again with your outrageous expectations. I’m a landlord in this city, and I’m just sick and tired of you stupid whiners. If the shelter I provide would have been good enough for Jesus Christ, Ghengis Khan, and the Plantagenets, it’s good enough for you. I get calls at all hours of the day and night asking me to fix the heat, supply running water, etc. etc. etc. Hell, once a student even called me – ME – to tell me that there was an electrical fire in the house. Don’t you kids know that I have a life? The fire department can put out the fire, and the hole in the wall won’t matter over the summer. And complaining about the broken locks — please — doesn’t your lease have a clause about how I’m not responsible for stolen property? Put your damn computers and mountain bikes in a safe-deposit box if you don’t want them stolen. Brats.
posted by R on April 6th, 2004 at 2:59 pmMy parents bought me a condo and I rent out the other bedroom, so I actually come out ahead each month. But, then, I’m a Med student, so I’ll be coming out ahead the rest of my life.
posted by Ritchie Rich on April 6th, 2004 at 3:01 pmI’m a U-M alum, and the only way my parents could be said to have a combined income of $180,000 is if we’re counting several years at a time. I never understood “responsible independence” in the same way that a tree doesn’t understand photosynthesis… it’s just what you do because you have to. I suppose my opinion of one of my landlords could have been considered “condescending”, but I submit that if Mr. Heaton had a leak in his bedroom ceiling, and his landlord refused to do anything about it until he put his rent in escrow, he’d feel the much the way I did.
posted by 29.97 fps on April 6th, 2004 at 4:35 pmI’ve rented in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, and San Francisco as well as Ann Arbor, and I can honestly say that I’ve never seen scarier, more disgusting, more run-down properties than on my apartment hunt in A2. I last rented here 15 years ago, but judging by what I read (and see from the outside as I travel around town), nothing has changed.
posted by Sam on April 6th, 2004 at 4:37 pmWhen I was growing up, every room in our house was in the 60’s or 70’s all winter long, and all the windows opened and closed. I can’t believe my parents didn’t teach me anything about independence and let me think that that’s what housing conditions were supposed to be like.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on April 6th, 2004 at 5:48 pmIn all fairness, when I shared house with some folks on campus years ago, I lucked into having a very good landlord. The housemates were a mixed bag, and cleaning was zip. I got flak for ridding the bathroom shower stall of revolting slippery black mildew by a housemate who bitched about the fact that I’d used bleach & she didn’t want the house “smelling like some institution.” Well, counting the crackhead, I guess it already was one…why not smell like one? Ah, memories…
posted by Laura on April 6th, 2004 at 7:54 pmMy apartment had its “30 month” inspection last spring, shortly before exams. The event was preceded by a flurry of temporary repairs to broken window frames and doors; a typed notice instructed me to be “up and out of the way” between 8 AM and 3 PM on unspecified days, so the repairman didn’t have to “trip over” me or my belongings. (When I called to ask that the repairman schedule a specific date [that worked for me] the landlord’s wife said “can’t you study someplace else?” and hung up on me.)
The actual inspection consisted of a 5-minute check that water came out of the taps.
posted by RD on April 6th, 2004 at 11:47 pmGod, I just FOIAed a bunch of inspection records in Ypsi for a class article, and I was amazed at the crap that landlords pull (and more amazed that the city of Ypsi let them pull it). Highlight- 311 Ballard, a place that burned down about a year ago, hadn’t been legal to rent to anyone since 2000 (about a million code violations), and hadn’t been legal to rent to more than three people ever (though the landlord only found that out in ‘88, according to the zoning records). Five people were renting it when it burned down.
posted by js on April 7th, 2004 at 8:36 amI can only imagine that Ann Arbor records would show the same thing, but have higher rents.
what a great class project, pulling FOIA files!!
posted by Just a Voice on April 7th, 2004 at 2:14 pmThe best part was dealing with the clerk, Vicki Bailey, who said “Just because the records are public doesn’t mean we have to show them to you.” Hence, needing the FOIA.
posted by js on April 7th, 2004 at 3:00 pmBut our class is all up on her office this year, what with four of us doing projects that need housing records. She hates us. Maybe I’ll do a story on how non-compliant the Building Inspection office is. Like that their supervisor is only in the office from 8-8:30am…
js
sounds like it’s gonna be a great article…might it be posted online somewhere eventually?
posted by Laura on April 7th, 2004 at 9:10 pmI might post it to my journal when it’s finished. The problem is that we bit off more than we can chew, having two of us (with jobs and other classes) looking through over 300 housing inspection records. At least the teacher is sympathetic…
posted by js on April 8th, 2004 at 10:28 amjs
Look you landlord assholes, I come from NJ and I will say this it is supposedly a much more expensive place to live, I know people from cities throughout the country. The student housing in Ann Arbor is ridiculous, the city needs better laws and a housing authority that ensures safe RESPECTABLE housing. I am sorry $750 a month for a 1 room studio with a closet bathroom and miniature kitchen, like 300sqft is crazy. I can get an apartment with a 20min Manhattan commute in a brand new building 600sqft 1bdr, a patio, NYC view for like $1000-1100. Now you tell me these places are much nicer than what is available to students and for a 1bdr of that size you would pay at least $1,000. Honestly in NJ, or NY say in Brooklyn I could do much better finding an apt. If I pay $10,000 dollars a year for a rental property I deserve decent housing. Honestly the University needs to address the housing situation by building more and better dormitories thus taking some pressure off the housing market and ANN ARBOR needs to come down on delinquent landlords and possibly institute some kind of rent caps because how the hell can students afford this.
posted by .. on April 15th, 2004 at 4:40 pm