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Vote impacts college housing
by sara jochems
Statesman staff writer
On Aug. 13, the Duluth City Council passed a renting ordinance that might make it difficult for UMD students to rent off campus in the future. Landlords for the Duluth area will no longer be able to rent out new houses
within 300 feet of existing rentals, according to the ordinance.
“Basically what this means is that a homeowner would not be allowed to turn his/her house into a rental unit for college students,” said one Duluth landlord, Mark Peacock.
The rental ordinance also includes what is known as a grandfather clause, which protects existing rental houses. The houses that are currently rentals are grandfathered in, as long as their city rental license does not get revoked.
The renting ordinance was passed by a 6-3 majority vote. Councilors Jim Stauber, Don Ness, Garry Krause, Tim Little and Laurie Johnson voted in favor against Councilors Roger Reinert, Russ Stewart and Russ Stover.
To Peacock, what seems evident is that this new ordinance is raising more questions about turning Duluth single-family rental dwellings
into rental units for college students.
A very similar ordinance was denied about three years ago. Johnson, Ness, Stewart and Reinert all voted against the ordinance in 2004. Contributions were made by Marisa McKie.
