Students, take action against the housing ordinance

Each year, the town of Chapel Hill has the opportunity to repeal the ordinance banning more than four residents in the same house, yet no action has been taken. It’s time for students to step up and take initiative as one voice to show the town how unrealistic the initiative really is.

Students are fortunate in that they can readily communicate and create dialogue with the town. The Town Council meets the second and fourth Monday of most months. It is time to get on the agenda and to tell the town that students are serious about this issue and eager to see it overturned.

Students at UNC and some other citizens realize how unrealistic the ordinance is in a college town such as Chapel Hill. The ordinance unfairly burdens landlords and students.

Affordable housing is hard to come by in Chapel Hill, and having more than four residents in a house can lower the cost of rent. There are also many homes in which the town has allowed blueprints to include more than four bedrooms, so this ordinance stops landlords from receiving fair value to their property.

Town residents should be cognizant that Chapel Hill is a college town that is built around UNC. At the core of UNC, and very much at the core of Chapel Hill, are the students.

This does not mean, however, that students have the right to be disruptive. Students should be aware that they live near families and permanent town residents.

There are many students who follow the rules and do not throw parties on a regular basis. It is not fair to punish students that are living off campus and prevent them from finding affordable housing in order to send a message to the overly disruptive ones.

Current UNC students will obviously care about this issue if it affects them. However, their dislike of this ordinance will naturally wane with time — students will graduate and they will move away. This means that many will no longer care about the four-person ordinance upon their graduation since it will no longer affect them.

This unfair treatment of UNC students will continue until some decide to finally take initiative and definitive action. That time is now.

UNC students, when they put their minds together, can be quite an extraordinary force. This mass
mobilization has been seen before with the petitions for the drop/add period and the divestment from coal. Twitter can spread information. Facebook groups can be formed. Petitions can be signed.

Students have the right to have their voices heard. It is time to go to Town Council meetings and directly talk to them so that they can comprehend how unfair this ordinance is.

UNC students can continue to complain about this ordinance. Yet they have no right to continue to complain if they remain complacent and don’t take action. The most disappointing aspect of this entire situation would be if UNC students did not do their utmost to overturn this ordinance.

Students are the driving force of Chapel Hill. That means that we have to be the driving force to bring more attention to this issue and overturn it.