The accidental death of Daniel Rigby (MSB ‘05) has affected the entire Georgetown community. As students, residents and administrators come together to cope with the loss, they must also seize the opportunity to learn from this horrible accident.
Although town-gown relations have often been strained in the past, the fire at 3318 Prospect Street raises an issue that is pertinent to both students and residents. Landlords have been renting properties that violate safety codes, discouraging tenants from allowing inspections and permitting houses to fall into disrepair. This is unacceptable. It is the duty of both students and residents to hold their landlords accountable for existing and future problems.
The fire, caused by faulty electrical wiring, was not the first of its kind on the 3300 block of Prospect St. Just two weeks ago, another rowhouse, inhabited by a family with young children, was damaged in a fire.
When inspectors from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs inspected 30 houses on Tuesday, they found that six were uninhabitable due to “life safety” issues that included improper wiring, missing smoke detectors and blocked exits. Inspectors also issued numerous violations to the owners of homes that were not shut down.
Although only rental properties inhabited by students were inspected, this does not mean that privately-owned homes and houses rented by families do not face the same problems. Neighbors must cooperate to ensure that all houses in the neighborhood are livable. Every resident-student or non-student-should have his or her house inspected by the DCRA.
The fire and the resulting inspections call into question the relationship between the University and local landlords. Georgetown maintains a web site that allows students to search for off-campus housing and permits landlords to list properties. However, although Georgetown links students to properties, the University takes no responsibility for the safety of the houses. Additionally, Georgetown does not yet check to make sure that a landlord who registers a property holds a business license, as required by D.C. law.
According to Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Margie Bryant, Georgetown will have a system in place by April to verify that landlords listed on the web site hold the proper licenses. But this is not enough. The administration plays a large role in off-campus student life, from regulating trash can placement to issuing noise violations. If the University is going to hold students accountable for their behavior in off-campus residences, it must take an active interest in the quality of off-campus housing.
At the beginning of the school year, Director of Off-Campus Student Life Chuck Van Sant went door to door in West Georgetown to ensure that students were not improperly disposing of trash. Now that it is known that student lives are at risk, administrators should show this level of committment to guarantee safety.
Landlords that are permitted to register houses on the Georgetown web site must have the correct permits. While the administration cannot mandate which houses students choose, they can offer recommentations, noting which houses have been inspected. The administration has the means take this simple step and students have the power to affect this change.
But the University should not be completely responsible for the condition of off-campus housing. Students must be proactive. Every student living off-campus should have their house inspected by the DCRA and should not be deterred by landlords’ scare tactics. Many students were told not to let city inspectors into their houses, as they would be responsible for any fines accrued as a result of violations. Not only is this untrue, but also it is intentionally misleading.
Additionally, students should take this opportunity to inform themselves about their rights. The DCRA has made available a packet entitled “Tenant’s Guide to Safe and Decent Housing.” The document details the responsibilities of landlords and tenants as well as their rights under D.C. law. Students can pick up copies of the booklet in the Office of Student Programs on the third floor of the Leavey Center.
The repercussions from the fire at 3318 Prospect St. are felt by the entire University community-students, residents and faculty. The issue transcends the traditional dividing line between students and neighbors. To prevent another tragedy, students, residents and administrators must work together to ensure the safety of the neighborhood.
