BURLINGTON, Vt. -
Caryn Long has lived in her Henry Street home in Burlington for 29 years. For much of that time, college kids in her neighborhood made things pretty chaotic.
"Lots of cars, lots of kids, lots of noise," she said.
A number of homes on her street were packed with 7-10 students.
"I have nothing against students," Long said. "I've got three children myself that are age 25 to 32. I just think when there is a lot of them it turns into a party house."
A few years ago zoning changes capped that number to four unrelated adults per unit. It's a move she's now fighting to see implemented in the neighborhood between UVM and downtown that some call the "Student Ghetto," where a number of houses and yards are in rough shape.
"If I had eight houses like that on my street I would be gone, everybody would be gone, and that is what has happened to Loomis, Isham, Green, South Union, Buell streets," Long said.
Monday night, city councilors voted down introducing the zoning changes in the "high density" neighborhood. Opponents to the measure argued it would negatively impact affordable housing in the city and that there are already rules in place to address problematic students and landlords.
"We have a lot of wonderful landlords, but we have some bad ones and those we have to coach them or ask them to get out of the business. If they have crappy houses, we need to deal with that," said Gene Richards, a Burlington landlord.
Richards owns roughly 20 properties in the city that together make up more than 200 rooms for rent. He was against the rezoning but says he's willing to work with folks to help improve the neighborhoods they share.
"I reached out to these neighbors today and I said what do you think about getting together? You know what I got told? We don't want to meet with you. Come on! I live in Burlington, I have a business in Burlington, I want to be part of that solution," Richards said.
A solution that may not be the one Long has in mind. While she's supporting increased enforcement of current rules, she says the sheer number of people living in a single home must be changed as well.
"It's sad that our beautiful homes have been allowed to be deteriorated," she said.
A move that could be hard to stop if landlords and the City Council aren't fully on board.
City councilor Ed Adrian was in favor of changing the zoning. He says he'll continue to push for four-person cap but says it will take a new Council to make that happen.
