Just because they are students does not give anyone the right to take advantage of them.
With the average student between 18 and 24, it is the first time some of them are taking on responsibilities like paying rent, living on their own and supporting themselves. It is a vulnerable time in a person’s life. Despite vulnerability, human decency should not cease to exist.
From a student perspective, living on campus costs an average of $4,000 more per year than living off campus. When there is competition to find a decent house off campus, a less expensive cost of living comes before quality almost every time.
As of mid-September, Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow has cracked down on the housing codes which has left some houses classified as unlivable, forcing cheated students out to find alternate housing, a necessity.
With rotting foundations, unstable roofing and conditions that leave residents unsafe, it is hard to think landlords would easily disregard integrity and take payments from people, let alone students, living in these types of houses.
Yet these conditions did not come out of nowhere. It brings into question why these conditions were not rectified before the point of foreclosure.
Before this point in time, landlords seemed to operate with autonomy, leaving room for them to act without ethics.
It is about time the city started enforcing their own codes. Policies are there for a reason, but they do not mean anything unless they are enforced.
It is up to students to uphold their dignity as residents, voice their concerns to authorities and not let anyone take advantage of them. With the combination of code enforcement and student action, these conditions should never occur again.
Landlords who violate these codes take creditability away from honest landlords who offer their residents a standard of living comparable to what they are paying for.
The golden rule does not just apply in kindergarten; it applies to all aspects of life. “Treating others the way you want to be treated” is the expectation others should be held to. Those who take advantage of others should be the ones to suffer the consequences.
