2008 Woodie Awards
300-foot rule goes back before city council
David Buckner
Issue date: 10/15/08 Section: News
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The issue of college renters in neighborhoods surrounding UMD and St. Scholastica has been a hot topic in Duluth for over a year and made its way back into the Duluth City Council this past week. A proposal to repeal the 300-foot ordinance was read last Monday and a vote is expected later this month.
"This ordinance never addressed the core problems of rental houses in Duluth," said City Councilor Todd Fedora, "that being the behavior of the tenants."
The 300-foot ordinance was passed last year. It limits the number of rental houses allowed in a concentrated area. No rental properties can be within 300 feet of each other, according to this law. Property owners who had rental licenses before the legislation was passed are allowed to stay put, meaning only new rental properties are affected.
The ordinance was later scaled back to only include the neighborhoods where the highest concentration of college renters are located.
"People who were never part of the problem were being penalized," said Fedora. "For every one of these problem units, there are two or three or four more occupied by very friendly, responsible students."
Several people like Fedora, feel that the rule isn't making problems such as parties and parking any better. Fedora argues that it hurts more people than it helps. He says he has received many phone calls and e-mails from people stating that they are stuck with a property and can't make a profit.
"They cannot sell the units, and they can't rent them either," he said. "I think this is causing an undue hardship on these people."
The poor housing market has made it difficult to sell a property, leaving some landlords without any options.
"There are a number of properties that are being rented illegally," said Fedora. "They are not being inspected."
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