2008 Woodie Awards
EDITORIAL: Proposed law shows city never short of dumb or reckless ideas
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Opinion
Originally published: 2/14/08 at 7:01 PM EST
Last update: 2/16/08 at 2:43 PM EST
This city will never be at a loss for dumb ideas. Try as they may, it seems Plattsburgh's elected officials just can't get it right.
We've seen plenty of outrageous ideas, like passing a law requiring old ladies to shovel their sidewalks, or saying no one can park on any city streets just because someone decided to turn on a flashing light. There was also the bitter counselor who recently tried to name the waste treatment plant after two local journalists?
But the latest incarnation of ridiculousness by city officials just might top all past. In an effort to calm the masses of obnoxious college students, counselors are considering a resolution that would redefine how many un-related people can live in one apartment.
Right now, if you can believe it, only four people are legally allowed to live in the same housing unit. So, for the sake of exploring what would happen if this ordinance passes, let's just say the city knows how to enforce it.
The results would be devastating. There would be a housing crisis in the City of Plattsburgh. Rental property prices would skyrocket. Students would be homeless or forced into housing all over the city, bringing their perceived mischievousness to new locations.
This is a prime example of ill-conceived ideas. If this law were to include a grandfather clause - saying it only applies to new apartments - it would be pointless.
The only thing it would accomplish is blocking a major development project - alcohol- and drug-free housing units to be built on property right next to Macdonough Hall. This would be millions of dollars down the drain (and perhaps the loss of a solution to these issues officials are trying to fix).
But the real fact of the matter is that the city doesn't have the resources or power to enforce this type of ordinance. The one already on the books has never been effective.
It's true that there are five or six people living in many student apartments. We've even seen an apartment with eight tenements, living in tiny rooms inside a slanted house.
Mayor Donald Kasprzak is now vowing to have building inspectors tackle code violations by students and landlords. What we fear is these efforts will focus on students, not the landlords.
It's these landlords - some could be better described as slumlords - who need to be held responsible for the unsafe housing that continues to rot in this city. It's these quality of life issues the city should focus on rather than passing laws that threaten the financial stability of the city and its residents.
We've seen plenty of outrageous ideas, like passing a law requiring old ladies to shovel their sidewalks, or saying no one can park on any city streets just because someone decided to turn on a flashing light. There was also the bitter counselor who recently tried to name the waste treatment plant after two local journalists?
But the latest incarnation of ridiculousness by city officials just might top all past. In an effort to calm the masses of obnoxious college students, counselors are considering a resolution that would redefine how many un-related people can live in one apartment.
Right now, if you can believe it, only four people are legally allowed to live in the same housing unit. So, for the sake of exploring what would happen if this ordinance passes, let's just say the city knows how to enforce it.
The results would be devastating. There would be a housing crisis in the City of Plattsburgh. Rental property prices would skyrocket. Students would be homeless or forced into housing all over the city, bringing their perceived mischievousness to new locations.
This is a prime example of ill-conceived ideas. If this law were to include a grandfather clause - saying it only applies to new apartments - it would be pointless.
The only thing it would accomplish is blocking a major development project - alcohol- and drug-free housing units to be built on property right next to Macdonough Hall. This would be millions of dollars down the drain (and perhaps the loss of a solution to these issues officials are trying to fix).
But the real fact of the matter is that the city doesn't have the resources or power to enforce this type of ordinance. The one already on the books has never been effective.
It's true that there are five or six people living in many student apartments. We've even seen an apartment with eight tenements, living in tiny rooms inside a slanted house.
Mayor Donald Kasprzak is now vowing to have building inspectors tackle code violations by students and landlords. What we fear is these efforts will focus on students, not the landlords.
It's these landlords - some could be better described as slumlords - who need to be held responsible for the unsafe housing that continues to rot in this city. It's these quality of life issues the city should focus on rather than passing laws that threaten the financial stability of the city and its residents.
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