Page 82 8 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 5, 1985
Shakey Jake
enjoys living
'on the move'
By NADINE LAVAGNINO
Shuffling along, guitar in hand, he
never passes by unnoticed. His name
is Jake Woods, known around town as
Shakey Jake, and he is perhaps the
most colorful of Ann Arbor's many
homeless.
Jake, who says he is 82, has lived in
Ann Arbor for 20 years. He has
become an Ann Arbor personality,
recognized by his wide-brimmed
straw hat, guitar case, zany pants,
dark sunglasses, and his cheery
"hello" to passers-by.
"I'M ON THE move," Jake con-
stantly insists, busying himself every
day by selling t-shirts, posters, and
other paraphernalia emblazoned with
his mug, or by cleaning and delivering
refrigerators for the owner of Music
Mart on State Street.
In addition, he occasionally acts as
host at Mr. Flood's Party on Liberty
Street, Dooley's bar on Maynard
Street, and at the Pan Tree
restaurant, also on Liberty.
Waitresses say he isn't paid, but he
voluntarily buses tables and seats
people.
During a recent interview, Jake left
his seat at Drake's - a restaurant
reminiscent of soda fountains and
penny candy - numerous times to
guide people to tables in the seat-
yourself eatery. He also glances of-
ten at the three watches on his wrist.
JAKE WAS born in Little Rock,
Arkansas, into a household of 15
children. "I can't remember all the
names of my brothers and sisters -
there's too many," Jake said. Prior to
living in Ann Arbor, Jake lived in
Saginaw.
He said he has always been a wan-
derer, and began this nomadic
existence by leaving home "at the age
of one."
Jake can't read, and often enlists
the help of friends to read his mail to
him, he said. They also take dictation
when he wants to write to a friend.
JAKE HAS no home of his own, but
takes turns staying with friends and
camping out in an area homeless
shelter. In the winter, he gets free
cups of coffee from neighborhood
restaurants.
Jake is popular in Ann Arbor
because of "his carefree and happy
attitude, plus his deep concern for
others," said Jake's friend Eileen
O'Connor.
And she added, "People like Shake
Jake so much because he is real. You
see a carnation in his coat pocket,
weird clothes, carrying a guitar with
him and it's all real."
JAKE SEES it differently. "I was
just born lucky," he said.
So far, Jake has been featured in an
Ann Arbor Cablevision documentary
and in every Ann Arbor newspaper. In
addition, restaurants and city bars.
picture him on advertisements'
University students invite him to play,
his guitar at dorm parties, and WCBN
- a University radio station - has
had him make radio promotions. He
was also the grand marshall in the
fraternity/sorority homecoming
parade last fall.
Mr. Flood's Party is Jake's favorite
evening hangout, although he does not
drink, he said. Kristin Henniger, a
waitress there, said the bar is Jake's
favorite spot because "it's his crowd*
of people here. We accept him and let
him do whatever he wants." Often
this means selling his wares or
playing his guitar with the band on
stage.
Many listeners claim that Jake
can't play his guitar, but he doesn't
mind. "I just play anyway. It freaks
them out," he said. "The ones who say
I cannot play stand there and listen.
And they're always the first ones to
give me money for playing," he ad-
ded.
The only drawback Jake sees in his
lifestyle is his vulnerability to Ann
Arbor youth at night. He said he is
robbed by kids two to three times a
year, but doesn't like to dwell on this
statistic.
"People worry because they like
money," he said. "But they don't care
for anybody but themselves," he ad-
ded.
Shakey Jake is always ready to strum a tune on his favorite guitar.
our
I S
earest
xamn
Y
Affordable housing is rare
h
S
erm!
Money Management 101
Fall -1984
University Offices - First of America
Read each statement and place a / in the box if
First of America Bank - Ann Arbor can help you
with these situations:
1. You get the late night munchies, but the pizza
place won't take checks and you have no cash.
Can First of America help you?
2. Your roommate is the wrong sex. Can First of
America help with this one?
3. Everyone left for happy hour, and you are still
waiting in line at the bank to get some cash. Can
First of America help?
4. You finally declared a major, only to find it
cancelled due to lack of interest. Can First of
America help here?
5. You parked in a student lot with no permit, and
were introduced to Big Bee's towing service. Can
First of America help you this time?
6. You can't remember how to get back to the
residence of that very special person you met last
night. Can First of America help you find your
way?
Yes
D-
No
Answers:
1. Yes, First of America has the most 24 HOUR
BANKING locations to serve you on campus at 9
locations: Michigan Union, S. University at E.
University, E. Liberty at Maynard, Plymouth
Road, North Campus Commons, Med Center
Office, Blue Front, Administrative Services
Building, and Main Street at Huron.
2. No, although First of America fully supports the
Equal Opportunity Housing Act, our involve-
ment is limited to account relationships.
3. Yes, with 24 HOUR BANKING, you're in front of
the line. Get your free First of America Banking
Card today.
4. No, we can't help with classes, but if lack of
interest is a problem, come to First of America
for the highest interest banks are allowed to pay.
S. Yes, with the most campus branches to serve
you at S. University at E. University, E. Liberty
at Maynard, Med Center, and Plymouth Road;
and 9 campus 24 HOUR BANKING locations,
we're sure to have facilities near any towing
service. Your "ransom" can be easily obtained
to get you on your way in a flash.
6. Yes, we can help you find your way with a free
street map of Ann Arbor. Remembering your
date's name, however, is your responsibility.
(Continued from Page 3)
in the immediate 'student ghetto'
high and encourage landlords to milk
properties," Ditz said.
Seven to 10 years is the ideal time to
own property in the city for tax pur-
poses, and during that time some lan-
dlords don't spend money on main-
taining the property, Ditz said. Not
until the landlord is ready to sell the
property does he or she spend money
on it, thus increasing the sale price,
Ditz said.
BECAUSE all freshmen are
guaranteed a living. space in a
residence hall, only 42 percent of the
dorm space is allotted for returning
students.
"Generally, if the students want to
stay in the residence halls, there's a
pretty good chance that we can ac-
commodate them," Herman said.
"But if they want to live in a par-
ticular dorm or hall, they limit their
options."
OFF-CAMPUS housing is not much
less expensive than on-campus
housing, Herman said. The 66 percent
of the student body who decide to live
off campus pay costs - such as
security deposits, cleaning fees, and
telephone installation bills - that
students in residence halls don't have
to worry about.
House-hunting begins in January,
with most students finalizing their
housing plans by the end of April. The
housing office provides services to
students at all stages in the housing
search.
More than 650 landlords register
with the housing office, said Leroy
Williams, director of the Housing In-
formation Office, and they supply ren-
tal rates, locations, and descriptions
of available property.
IN ORDER to register with the
housing office, landlords must agree
to abide by the University's non-
discriminatory policy when renting,
LIBERAL ARTS
MAJORS...
You're Needed.
All Over the
World.
Ask Peace Corps volunteers why
their ingenuity and flexibility are
as viral as their degrees. They'll
tell you they are helping the
certify that the living space meets
city standards, agree to use the
housing office's lease or submit their
own for the office's approval, and
agree to use the office's mediation
services before suing a University;,
student tenant.
The housing office's mediation ser=.
vice for tenants and registered lan-
dlords handles about 800 landlord-
tenant and tenant-tenant
disagreements out of court every
year.
"NINETY-five percent of the cases
that have been mediated through our
services have been resolved at (the
housing office) level," Williams said.
The office also provides
publications about tenant rights and,
responsibilities, guidelines for house
hunting, and a roommate match-up
service.
For information and help with
housing problems, students can also
go to the Ann Arbor Tenants Union,
the oldest student-based tenant's
union in the country.
THE HIGH rent Ann Arbor tenants
pay entitles them to a safe, private,
quiet, and healthy living space with
working utilities, Ditz said.4
Violations are not uncommon,
though, he said, pointing out that
although all rental housing in Ann Ar-
bor is supposed to be inspected every
two years, rental units are probably
inspected once every 21/2 to 3 years.
Records of building inspections are
available at the Housing Inspection
Bureau on the fourth floor of City
Hall.
ALTHOUGH state law requires
landlords to maintain rents'
dwellings, "lists of 50 or more cods
violations in student-occupied
buildings are not uncommon," Ditz
said.
"Most of the code complaints in the
city are in the student area," said
Jack Donaldson, director of the city's
building department.
"If your landlord does not keep ren-
tal units in good repair, there are,
solutions,"gDitz said, explaining tha
withholding rent and joining othe
tenants are effective and legal ways
to retaliate for code violations.
Ditz said it is illegal for landlords to
respond by evicting tenants who take
these measures or by just "throwing
your stuff in the street."
Tenant-landlord laws vary from
state to state and from city to city.
Laws unique to Ann Arbor include a
security ordinance which requires
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