Indiana University - Arbutus Yearbook (Bloomington, IN)

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Not only can Taylor recall tenants from a year ago, hut she also has memories of tenants from years gone by. Her first roomer was an 18-year-old hoy named Edgar Whitcomh who went on to serve a term as Governor of Indiana. I n Schwalni (ABOVE) As one of four Bloomington landlords in his environment. lU se- nior Rick Wood nails weathering around the door of his Orris Drive home. (TOP RIGHT) Don Coller stops before he enters his 1,5-year-old realty com- pany located in Colstone Square. (TOP LEFT) Holding a photo of Chateau Villa, the complex where Hour House is situated, is landlord Lillv Taylor. (OPPOSITE) William Gosser poses on the porch steps of one of the many houses he owns throughout Bloomington. 19

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Here ' s who you ' re paying for staying Owning lots of houses around the periphery of campus, being in the business for a long time and trying to keep the customer satisfied . . . that ' s what the big-time landlords have in common. William Cesser ' s philosophy on a landlord-tenant rela- tionship is pure and simple: Treat your tenants like you would like to be treated yourself. Lillie Taylor likes to feel close to her tenants, so she has them fill out a sheet with biographical information. One of Taylor ' s former tenants, Bruce Buchanan, said, I saw her a year later and she remembered my name — even where I came from. Not only can Taylor recall tenants from a year ago, but she also has memories of tenants from years gone by. Her first roomer was an 18-year-old boy named Edgar Whitcomb who washed dishes for three years in exchange for his meals. The young dish washer went on to serve a term as Gov- ernor of Indiana. Taylor still keeps in touch with Whitcomb today, she said. Taylor ' s business consists of owning and managing three houses and the Hour House complex (there are apartments on top). She said her single sleeping rooms start at $75 a month; her most expensive place is $270. As you pay a mortgage down, you ' d borrow more (than the original amount invested) to buy another house to make payments on. I never had any working capital, so that ' s the way I always operated, Taylor said. Mrs. LaVerne Burnham said she and her husband Arthur deal mainly with the university students, and she describes their business as a good one. We ' re considered a very active rental company, Burnham said confidently. Profes- sing no problems with the business. Burnham said they keep their property up and are fair with the rent. Monthly rents range from a low of $85 a month to $200 a month. The Burnhams got into the business in the 1940 ' s, and now own 200 apartments, houses or complexes — mainly on the south border of campus. Rentals are just one of the businesses the family has been involved in, Burnham explained. It all started when her grandfather bought a house in Indianapolis several years ago. One of the major realty companies in town, CoUer Real Es- tate, has about 25 apartment complexes within its confines. Of the 600 or so persons who live in the buildings, about 95% are students, Dan Ottilie, a part-time employe, estimated. Ot- tilic ' s boss, Don Coller, has been in the realty business for the last 15 years. Some of his holdings include Beau Trace, Landmark II and the 303 E. 8th St. complexes. Rent begins at $175 per month, and goes up to $225. The landlord business is not exclusively ruled by middle-aged community people. Some students own their own homes. All it takes is a good buy, a little money, a sense of entrepreneurship and, of course, a lot of stamina. Rick Wood, a student landlord, decided if you can ' t beat ' em, join ' em. Wood bought a 4-bedroom house on the west side of town and rents out rooms to his friends. Dubbed the Orris Hotel, Wood ' s abode takes more work in upkeep than most persons would imagine, he said. In order to equalize the relationship between landlords and tenants, a Uniform Resident Landlord-Tenant Act (URLTA) has been proposed. This is a model law which was prepared by the National Conference of Commissions on Un- iform State Laws. The bill would abolish unfair lockouts by landlords: make landlords verify that their property is fit for habitation; require a contract instead of a lease and a restric- tion placed on the security deposit. The highlight of the bill is a clause which would provide power for the tenant to ini- tiate repairs on his rental unit that cost less than $100. Then that amount can be deducted from the rent. If passed, this bill would promote a more fair working relationship be- tween landlords and tenants. Gloria loseph, Debbie Humes d. - i feK

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So close, but yet so far Dorms can be bad places to live sometimes — dirty bath- rooms, incinerators overflowing with pizza boxes and beer cans, and cramped rooms. But, most students do not realize that far worse housing conditions exist in Bloomington. Those who never wander past the College Mall or downtown area miss a view of a completely different side of Bloomington — the Miller Drive neighborhood. A No Dumping sign hangs on a tree surrounded by a yard full of old tires, trash and weeds which lie between two houses with rusty tin or torn shingle roofs. Cement block steps lead up to homes which bear spray- painted house numbers. Tattered curtains blow through broken screens while the windows in other houses are com- pletely covered with boards. Faded plastic flowers and old Christmas decorations adorn the house fronts, as plastic pink flamingos and horse-carts brighten lawns. These last decorations stand in the front yards of a small gathering of trailers, located near the Miller Drive area. A toilet and an old mattress sit outside the door of one of the rusted pink, white and turquoise trailers, as if someone had set up house in the front yard. Not far from this outdoor room stands an abandoned mail truck shadowing a garbage heap. Close in distance, but miles apart in appearance are the homes located on Sheridan Road and Southdowns Drive. Large brick structures with big bay windows lie beyond carefully-sculpted bushes and well-kept lawns. One home in the Southdowns neighborhood displays unique graphic designs on its garage doors, as brightly col- ored wheels and sails serve as markers for the car and boat storage areas. Rather than the sun-bleached wood paneling which cov- ers some Miller Drive homes, this house displays varnished wood siding placed at diagonals to form neat rows, giving it a rustic appearance. For students who know little about the city of Bloomington, the sights around the Miller Drive area and the contrasting views on Southdowns Drive and Sheridan Road can be quite an experience. Marianne Gleissner Ha; 2:s ' -ii,