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of their remedies under State law, with the OSPIRG booklet on renters' rights used as guidelines. He said the City should serve tenants by being a teacher rather than a commissar. Dennis Casady, PO Box 5028, Eugene, was opposed to creating new City bureaucracies as would occur if the housing standards were adopted. He said the proposed code left many questions unanswered, such as the expertise of City inspectors in various areas like plumbing, building, and electric codes. He thought landlords should be notified of inspections so they could be present to answer questions and view the inspection. Mr. Casady called for education to eliminate the problems cited by those in support of housing standards, suggesting that landlords be required to give tenants a brochure explaining Oregon's landlord- tenant act and remedies, eliminating the need for local housing standards. Devin Gates, 447 Maxwell Road, had many misgivings about the proposed housing standards. He was concerned about the absence of a sunset clause in the ordinance and thought it was crucial there be a deadline for review of the ordinance's effectiveness. He was also concerned about the fiscal accountability of the program as landlords would be being taxed against their wills if it was adopted. He wanted to ensure the funds went to a dedicated fund, not the City's General Fund. Mr. Gates urged the council to reconsider a fine-based system, suggesting that general taxation of landlords who maintain their properties was unfair. He suggested an offender-based system would be more appropriate and just. Donna Turfing, 2305 Snelling Drive, expressed concern that the coalition was disseminating incorrect information about the need for recourse to small claims court when its own materials laid out different information. She challenged the coalition to be more accurate. She was concerned about the proposed ordinance, which was altered from the Corvallis model by deleting the maximum fine amounts; Eugene's were unlimited. The Corvallis program sent notice that fees were due, and Eugene's was voluntary, but there were fines for those who failed to register. Corvallis included a mayor-appointed appeals board; Eugene had an appeal to the manager. She also supported a sunset if an ordinance was to be adopted. Ms. Turring noted that she had been on the Joint Housing Commission in the 1980s when the City Code was in place, and the City staff responsible for the program recommended it be disbanded because the program was receiving nuisance complaints rather than habitability complaints; she understood the same thing was occurring in Corvallis. Patrick Costello, 474 Brookside Drive, said he owned and managed an apartment complex in Eugene. He said he rented units to many low-income people. He was not necessarily opposed to housing standards but he was opposed to the cost of the program. While the amount was not a lot for many people, for people living on very low incomes, such as his tenants living on $500 from Social Security or disability payments, it was a real cost. He was concerned because his tenants had difficulty paying their rents already. Mr. Costello asked the council if the program was necessary. He believed there were other alternatives for the council to consider. Bob Suess, Sr., 260 East 38th Avenue, said he began to provide affordable housing for Eugene residents 40 years ago. He and his tenants respected each other's needs. He believed it was a mistake to spend time on the housing standards when a committee of knowledgeable people could make recommendations for an approach that was fair to all. Mr. Suess commended the audience for its civility. Barry Blanton, 580 West 35th Place, a partner with Lorig Associates, noted his company's familiarity with the Corvallis ordinance, the model on which the proposal was based. He reviewed data provided by the MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 8, 2004 Page 7 Regular Meeting