University Of Iowa Greeks Facing Catastrophic City Housing Ordinance

Dillon Cheverere12 years ago

NF, Iowa. Just NF.

The Iowa City ordinance, in particular, is tackling the issue of housing density, stating that only one person per 900 square feet will be allowed to live in an apartment. Only, language in the ordinance will technically classify fraternity and sorority houses as apartments, making them fall under the regulation. This obviously has the Iowa Greek community all astir due to the threat it poses to the sanctity and tradition of fraternity and sorority housing.

From the Iowa City Patch:

“It is going to be the end of the Greek system at University of Iowa,” said Steve Lawler, a supporter of Sigma Pi. “We are a brotherhood of people living together … The guys live together like family.”

[…]

The rule would treat a fraternity or sorority house like an apartment and limit how many people can live together – one resident per 900 square feet. At least four Greek chapters are interested in building new houses, but if this ordinance passes they’d likely have to scale down.

City officials are targeting fraternity houses because of their reputations as partyers. They are trying to rein them in, if you will. Here’s my question, though: will this really scale back parties at the houses? Just because there are only four people living there as opposed to 40, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not open for business anymore. It’s still a fraternity house, and fraternity houses are constructed to house drunk idiots, no matter if they crash inside them or not.

This just seems like a good way to cut the legs off your Greek community, Iowa. Not a smart move. I get the feeling cooler heads will prevail, though, and the raging will continue.

[via Iowa City Patch]