03-08-11 Community/Campus Advisory Coalition (CCAC)

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then find out they can't be used. Mr. Kirsits pointed out that as an old firefighter he always worries about fires — you find out there are seven or eight students in a house and several people may die due to overcrowding. Ms. Toppel stated most people have already signed their lease for next year. Tim Sexton asked that if a deposit is put down, can they get it back, will they then get help from the City? Ms. Toppel assured him that her files can be subpoenaed to find out what the owner knew and that action would bring someone in to Court to testify. NEIGHBORHOODS - ALTERNATIVE HOUSING Mr. Kramer inquired if the City of South Bend would be opposed to a student designated area for housing. Marquerite asked if he meant on campus and he said no - it's a rite of passage — they want to spread their wings —would it make sense to build nice houses that could be a gated area where the students woufd feel safe that follows the guidelines that the City lays out. It would help the blighted areas to put this in — particularly specific areas. Mr. Kirsits said this has been done before — in blighted areas where you can put in student housing - this does not preclude Indianapolis Police from coming in and doing what they have to do. Tim Sexton stated that the NE Neighborhood runs from Twyckenham down to Jefferson and Mr. Kramer responded that he thought the NE Neighborhood would win as well. He has been buying two bedroom houses, renting it to undergrads or families, this is on Miner Street— bought it because of the gang graffiti- painted it- put 50k in it and made it viable. There are other houses on Miner that are the same way — gang graffitied, fire hazards, overcrowded, etc., - these are sources of problems for students and neighborhoods. Tearing them down is not the answer. Until we get some cohesiveness in these blighted areas, there has to be some area good for this idea. Mr. Kirsits brought up the question of restructuring and zoning and Dick Nussbaum stated that he did not think this was the forum for this discussion though he was sure Mr. Kramer had good intentions and he suggested that if a plan was submitted to the NENC — that would be the best route as their mission is to bring back single family households and they have done a really good job. Mr. Kramer agreed that this is not the forum to discuss this issue. Marguerite Taylor stated that she wanted to say one thing. The NNRO and NENC — they are the winners of revitalization of the NE Neighborhood. It's not about the students — we don't call the Police if you are having a party — we call them when there are 500 people there. Students bring stuff to the neighborhood and I don't think you will ever get permission to have a community within a community. Mr. Kramer said he did not mean to offend anyone.