Pre-paid rent is the norm in DeKalb, although it can cause a lot of problems for NIU students.

One NIU psychology major, for example, said he attends school part-time rather than full-time because he works 40 hours a week to pay his rent.

The student, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he pays $460 a month for rent. He also said he borrowed money to pay the three month’s rent in advance required before he could move into his two-bedroom, Greek Row apartment in August, 1989.

He likes his apartment, but said, “It was hard to come up with the money. I borrowed money from my parents. I hate to borrow money from my parents. I’m still paying it back.”

“Pre-payment of rent as part of a lease is common in DeKalb,” Don Henderson, NIU Students’ Legal Assistance director, said.

Students are a significant part of the DeKalb community, not only as tenants but as employees and taxpayers, and that the city and the students must work together, Henderson said.

There is a complex in DeKalb that “charges a $1,000 security deposit … and when three or four of the tenants want to sign a new lease for next year … they have to pay another $1,000 … because there is one new person on the contract,” he added.

Sixth Ward Alderman Jamie Pennington proposed a landlord and tenant ordinance on students’ behalf at the DeKalb City Council meeting Monday that did not pass.

Pennington’s plan, based on an Evanston, Ill., ordinance, limited the amount of pre-paid rent landlords could demand to a month-and-a-half and required interest to be paid on security deposits and pre-paid rent.

“It (the proposal) won’t change any negative things that are going on,” 5th Ward Alderman Bessie Chronopoulos said.

Chronopoulos and the three other non-student aldermen voted against the proposal 4-3.

Several DeKalb landlords attended the meeting and said they believed the ordinance made them uncompetitive with on-campus housing.

Jim Mason, owner of James Court Apartments and other complexes, argued the ordinance was unfair because it required landlords to pay tenants interest on pre-paid rents and deposits, though NIU would not be under the same obligation.

But 1st Ward Alderman Christine Hoagland responded that NIU residence halls cannot be compared with DeKalb apartments.

“The university doesn’t just offer housing, it offers food, security and other amenities,” she said.

Hoagland said she was surprised that local landlords think NIU residence halls could have an advantage over them.

“They are trying to close Gilbert Hall, and yet there are new apartments going up all over town,” Hoagland added.

Pennington said he will try to persuade the council to reconsider the landlord and tenant proposal and to revive the council’s housing advisory committee.