The DeKalb City Council voted unanimously to extend an existing moratorium on the issuance of permits for rooming house conversions and alterations to such buildings in the 5th ward North Historic District.

The moratorium was intended to end the sale of single-family dwellings to realtors who may wish to convert the homes into rooming houses, which area residents claim in the past have been seen to deteriorate quickly with large numbers of students residing in the homes.

The first moratorium was issued Oct. 8, 2001, and was slated to end Saturday. The extension ensures no permits for structure changes will be issued for the neighborhood until June 30.

The extension passed on first reading, and the council voted to waive second reading requirements and passed the ordinance unanimously.

The request to keep homes in the area under the ownership of single families, rather than multiple groups of people, comes after a series of meetings held by the north 5th ward revitalization effort, which formed to improve the image of the neighborhood and to ensure many of the century-old homes in the area are maintained properly.

The effort has been lead by area residents, 5th ward Ald. Pat Conboy and city staff.

Residents voiced grievances at the meetings about many issues, including parking, trash, the appearance of homes and the overall neglect of many properties in the area.

As a result of the meetings, the group recommended an end to the conversion of homes into boarding houses, to be enacted by the city council, until the impact on the community and a solution to the problems facing the neighborhood could be devised.

Second ward Ald. Kris Povlsen expressed some concern with extending the ordinance another three months.

Povlsen said he was concerned the moratorium could present a problem for developers seeking to renovate current boarding houses.

William Holstein, CEO of Western Property Development Company, said he wanted to renovate a boarding house he owned at 450 College Ave., but was unsure if he would be able to receive a permit to do so.

After Holstein explained he intended to turn the house into a single-family dwelling, Conboy explained Holstein’s situation would be acceptable under the moratorium, and the ordinance only pertains to landlords seeking to turn single-family dwellings into rooming houses.