Newly-revived U. group to rate landlords

The Penn Consumer Board was asked to collect data on real estate owners to help students rent wisely. After a three-year absence, students will again be able to use the Penn Consumer Board's landlord ratings survey in their quest to find the best possible off-campus residence. The student group's survey will rate about 100 University City landlords on a variety of issues ranging from rents to ease in getting repairs done. The results will be published in a booklet tentatively scheduled for release on April 1. "[The survey] is a really good way to gauge good landlords, bad landlords and what to look for in housing," PCB member and College sophomore Sara Shenkan said. The PCB, originally founded in 1970 by two students who felt they had been cheated by an unscrupulous landlord, was active at the University until three years ago. Mihaela Farcas of the Office of Off-Campus Living approached College junior Hillary Aisenstein -- an Undergraduate Assembly member who has been involved in various community initiatives -- last summer about restarting the group and the survey. Aisenstein then recruited four other students to help out. The group will begin its efforts by sending surveys to area landlords with questions on basic issues, such as rates for different properties, by the beginning of next week. Next, the group will create surveys to be sent to the approximately 4,320 undergraduates living off-campus, a group that makes up nearly half of Penn's undergraduate population. Questions will deal with all aspects of their living experience, such as difficulties with appliances, mail and repairs. The board's members hope to draft the survey and send it out by the end of next week, according to Aisenstein. Once the members of the board complete the survey, they hope to expand the group to include such activities as writing sample leases that landlords could use and serving as an intermediary between students and other area tenants, according to Aisenstein. "PCB has the potential not just to do the survey, but to become an off-campus student association," she said. The main goal of the group is to make the transition from on- to off-campus living easier, according to PCB member Jason Miller, a College sophomore. "PCB serves as a way for students to gather more information in order to avoid trouble," he said. The PCB also aims to improve the standards of the landlords it rates. "Hopefully, if the landlords know that the PCB will be rating them, they will work harder to do a good job," Miller said. Student responsiveness is critical to the success of the survey, according to Managing Director of Community Housing Diane-Louise Wormley. "I hope students will take the time to fill out the surveys, because it helps them and all the students that come after them," Wormley said. The student group has received assistance from the Office of Off-Campus Living, which is providing the group with funding and the addresses of students living off campus. Wormley refused to say how much funding the group is receiving. Wormley, who oversees the Office of Off-Campus Living, said the guide is an "important" resource. "The more information you have from the people who have actually lived in the places you are looking at, the better choice you will be able to make," Wormley said.

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