a 4 Ir - - W A Page #wo ' A 4 *1 in s THE MICHIGAN DAILY Sunday, March 1, 1970 Sunday, March 1, 1970 - THE MICHIGAN DAILY TENANTS UNION: Rent striking for better housing, lower rents By JUDY SARASOHN Incensed by the high price and "unsafe living conditions" of Ann Arbor housing, over 1000 students have organized a Ten- ants Union and are withholding more than $100,000 in rent pay- ments in what has become one of the largest rent strikes in U.S. history. And with favorable court de- cisions, widespread publicity, financial support from the Unit- ed Auto Workers and endorse- ments from many city officials, the strike has continued for over a year. The major goal of the strike is to gain formal recognition for the Tenants Union as the col- lective bargaining agent for lo- cal tenants. The union is also demanding significant reductions in rent, elimination of damage deposits -- which the union claims are often not returned - elimination of advance payment of the last month's rent, and immediate handling of complaints. The last point is one of the main reasons given by strikers for initiating the strike. The De- partment of Building and Safe- ty is presently overburdened with charges of building c o d e violations. Many tenants have serious complaints of overflow- ing garbage, broken or incom- plete tiling in bathrooms, brok- en down stairways, and no fire escapes. The major thrust of the strike is aimed at the tight-knit as- sociation of several local man- agement firms, the Ann Ar- bor Property Managers' Asso- ciation. The Tenants Union claims the association has "tight control over the housing mar- ket." The landlords being struck are Ann Arbor Trust Co., Apart- ments Limited; Arbor Manage- ment; B.M.R.; Campus M a n- agement, Inc.; Charter Realty; Dahlmann Apartments; Misco Management Service; Patrick Pulte, Inc.; Post Realty and In- vestment Co.; S u m m i t As- sociates; Walden Management Co.; and Wilson-White, I n c. Apartments owned by these firms house an estimated 6,000 students. In addition to the strike against thesemajor realty firms, some students are with- holding rent from landlords with lesser holdings in sym- pathy with the Tenants Union. Tenants begin organizing in Dec. 19"8 by securing assurance from students that they would withhold rent when the strike began. On Feb. 15, after a poll of the 1.500 students who had. signed nledgeps, the Tenants Un- ion bepn the strike. Instead of paying rent as us- ual, the strikers paid their money into an escrow fund set up by the Tenants Union. In January, 1969 it would be safe to say that everyone ex- cept for a few idealistic, com- pletly frustrated students were skeptical of a successful rent strike. Even when students joined the union and signed pledges to withhold rent, the landlords re- fused to believe the strike would materialize. And when the strike did begin, the landlords said, as was to be expected, that they will never recognize the Ten- ants Union. "It's ridiculous," said Patrick Pulte, head of one of the firms. "I don't know of any manage- ment company in the country that would recognize a tenants union." Kenneth Barnhill, manager of Apartments Limited, also re- fused to recognize the union as the bargaining agent for Ann Arbor tenants. "Until this small minority of activists (the Tenants Union) can prove they can help me more effectively operate my bus- iness and provide better services to my tenants and owners, I will continue a policy of non- recognition," he said. Rent strike steering commit- tee members were undaunted; however. "The Tenants Union doesn't exist to serve the in- terests of the landlords, but of the tenants," said a steering committee member. And now, the pressure on the realty firms to recognize t h e Tenants Union appears to be mounting. At the beginning of the strike, most landlords maintained an air of indifference. But there were a number of reports of landlords turning off heat, tow- ing away cars, making phone calls to parents and threatening tenants with eviction in the middle of exam week. The primary thrust of land- lord response came in the courts. Arbor Management was the first realtor to bring rent striking tenants to court. But it has been in the courts that strikers have won t h e i r greatest victories thus far. In the first two eviction cases, for example, the precedent was set of allowing jury trials - a ruling with rent strike steer- ing committee members felt was a "significant victory" because granting of a jury trial indi- cates that there is a quesiton of fact. In other words, the ruling al- lowing jury trial g a v e tenants the opportunity to show in court that landlords were, in part at least, responsible for the with- holding of rent. And in the first two cases brought by Arbor Management, the tenants did precisely that, Arbor Management's E d w a r d Kloian had asked for $880 from one group of tenants, but t h e court reduced their back pay- ments to only $400 after hear- ing testimony of city health and safety c o d e violations, a 0 A third, view of life in Ann Arbor. Striking for better Strikers picket Ann Anbor landlord Louis Rome, executive director of the state crime commission. SUMMER AND FALL RENTALS ALBERT TERRACE 1700 GEDDES SPEND THE SUMMER IN LUXURY two bedroom furnished bi-level apartments with dishwasher, 1 ?/2 baths, parking and laundry facilities. Inquire at lobby office Mon.-Fri., 1:00-5:30, or phone resident manager 761-1717 for appointment Charter Realty, 665-8825 stoppage of heat and alleged threats. In addition to securing reduc- ed rents during the trials, many tenants were awarded possession of their apartments. In effect, this barred the landlord from evicting them for the duration of the lease. Even if such tenants do not make back rent payments as or- dered by the court, the-landlord must still bring legal proceed- ings for damages-not for evic- tion. Some landlords point to the court decisions that order the tenants to pay at least some of the back rent and they claim that the tenant has lost the case. This is a matter of inter- pretation. The Tenants Union claims the decisions have been in tis favor. Although the juries do not say which evidence they be- MODERN 4-MAN LUXURY APT. (Soon To Be Declared National Shrine) Perfect Location, AlR-CONDITIONING, Dishwasher, Garbage Disposal, Parking, Terrace, Complete' Furnishing, Live-in Manager, 1 /2 Baths 1-2 Vacancies SPRING AND,/OR SUMMER Ca I I769-5935 OR COME'TO APT. 6,92S.FR T 912 50 FORES lieve is true, their decision to reduce the back rent and award possession indicates a belief that tenants do have legitimate com- plaints. Although a tenant is ordered to pay back rent-even if it is not reduced-this does not take him out of the strike. The un- ion advises the tenant to pay. the rent because the court has ordered him to do so, and then, the next month, begin to with- hold rent once more. Thus the landlord must again take the tenant to court and waste mon- ey, lawyer's fees, court costs and time. The tenants who belong to the union are defended by un- ion lawyers. The lawyers, court and operating expenses are paid by a strike fund of nearly $10,- 000 representing individual strik- er's antes of 10 per cent of a- one-month rent payment and contributions from outside citi- zens and organizations. However, union leaders now believe that in the last f e w months the original tactic of rent striking has ceased to be effective and the legal strategy of the union has to be reassess- ed. In a year's time the landlord's attorneys have build strong de- fenses against the tenants' var- ious charges and have devised new cases. Furthermore, the landlords have considerably im- proved their housing mainten- ance as- a result of the strike, and the tenants have less of a case against the landlords. The union has now shifted its emphasis from the strike to forming a stronger and a more unified union. The Tenants Un- ion has decided to press for in- See STRIKING, Page 31 housing,1( (Continued from Page 2) creased University low-cost hous- ing, among other issues. The strikers are receiving more and more support each day. City councilmen and other officials have publicly supported t h e strikers. Student Government Council had asked that it be named as a co-defendant in the conspiracy suit. The strike has also a wide base of support on the campus, win- ning endorsements by campus organizations of a wide range of political beliefs. These organizations include: SGC, Graduate: Assembly, So- cial Work Student's Union, En- gin Council, Young Lawyers Guild, Black Law Student Alli- ance, Law Student Civil Rights Research Council, Northwood Terrace Association, New Uni- versity Conference, Citizens for New Politics, Alice Lloyd House ower rents Council, Bursley Hall Council, Fraternity Representatives As- sociation, and Interfraternity Council. Although the University ad- ministration says it is remaining neutral, the union has been giv- en space in the Student Ac- tivities Building for its offices and is recognized by SGC as a student activity. Not since the Brooklyn strike of 1914 when 4,000 angry apart- ment dwellers withheld rent has there been such a large collec- tive effort against a body of landlords. But the Brooklyn strike ended in failure when the landlords held out longer than the strik- ers. "This strike will not end," -says Katz, "until the union is officially recognized. T h is is non-negotiable as far as we're concerned." OWN ROOM IN SPACIOUS HOUSE CLOSE TO CAMPUS Affectionate black kitten, rosebush in front yard, pleasant porch for summer evenings- also parking, disposal, washer, dryer, etc. LOVELY PEOPLE Call 169-2406 Located near corner Granger & Packard 26 DAILY CLASSIFIEDS BRING QUICK RESULTS (a BEST LOCATION ON CAMPUS FOXCROFT APTS. MODERN 4-MAN APT. AIR CONDITIONING HEATING GARBAGE DISPOSAL PARKING LOT FACILITIES FRONT BALCONY CC MPLETELY FURNISHED LIVEIN MANAGER -CALL 769-1081- COME AND SEE APT. 10 815 S. STATE 7 This summer Ii student-owned, st co-Mc ON CAMPUS APRIL-AUGUST FURNISHED Modern 1 Bedroom 1 -2 People Garbage disposal Central heating andf air conditioning. Large picture window Wall-wall carpet All modern appliances Lots of closet space Quite, private Only 1 block from campus. Come or Call 307 THOMPSON, APT. 314 161-2312 12 800 FULLER. LUXURY APT. SUMMER SUBLET AVAILABLE In 4 Man unit at Modern Fuller Apts. Nearly adjacent to Medical Center, Easy Access to Main Campus and Stores. Laundry Room, Free Storage Space and Parking Lot. Very Reasonable. For Details CALL IVAL Evenings at 761- 8203 . 31 CAMPUS-HOSPITAL AREA LARGE! LARGE! THE LARGEST ! 2 BEDROOM-4-MAN- Modern clean Bldg., Beautifully Furnished, Air Cond., Dish- washer, Parking, Laundry and Storage. 521 WALNUT ST. modern Apts. Inc. NO 8-6906, YOU LIKE - WE BARGAIN LOW COST LI $85 a month plus a few hours of wor room, meals, snacks, telephone, washin etc. * Many singles available * You either one or both sessions of the sun on Central Campus * Applications for the su enine INTER-COOPERATIV 2546 SAB 668-6872 CAMPUS-Ol NEAR FRIEZE & AN( 418 E. WASHI THE BEST THE LARGE ONE BEDROOMS c Suitable for 2 or 3 people. Moderr nished, air conditioned, Balconies Large Study Hall. for Information and Rec CALL NO A SERVICE TO OUR .