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Hotel or Frat House? Save Email Print
Posted: 10:14 PM Aug 6, 2008
Last Updated: 1:28 AM Aug 7, 2008
Reporter: Jamie Edmonds
Email Address: jamie.edmonds@wilx.com

A | A | A

Some might call a stay in a hotel room a perk.

"We have a pool, which is good," Jake Feldman said. "Mini soaps and we get our towels cleaned."

Others might call it an annoyance. But to the brothers of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity... they call it home.

"We're living in a hotel room which is not ideal," President Scott Gordon said.

They're supposed to be living in the house they leased from another fraternity almost eight months ago.

"When you sign a lease you kind of think the other party will uphold their end of the bargain," Gordon said.

Sure, the house was unlivable at the time, but the owners assured the A E Pi's that the house would be ready by their August 1st move-in date.

"Now it's August 6th and obviously we're not moved into the house," Gordon said.

Renovations on the house are more than half way complete, but the owners won't finish it until the city makes a decision.

That decision to rezone the house for residential use,,, was supposed to be made Wednesday at East Lansing's Zoning Board of Appeals meeting but they didn't have a quorum.

And that's just step one.

Next the Housing Commission must recommend a rental license --- then it's on to City Council for a final vote.

Tim Schmitt of the City of East Lansing admits there was a set back Wednesday, but overall he blames the owner.

"If the owner had started this in February when we first met them, this wouldn't be an issue," Schmitt said. "Unfortunately they waited until June or July when they had an August 1st delivery date.

In the meantime, 35 brothers are caught in the middle.

"We have a fraternity without a place to be a fraternity," Gordon said.

Literally on the doorstep... without a key.

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Posted by: Craig Location: West Bloomfield on Aug 8, 2008 at 06:47 PM
How unfortunate 35 students are unable to occupy their living quarters because of the ineptitude of Beta chapter President, David Giltner. All 35 students (and their families) anticipated that these students would have a place to live during the next school year. They signed a contract stating that they would be able to obtain occupancy of the building on Aug. 1, 2008. Unfortunately, "Mr. Beta" didn't have repairs completed in a timely manner. On top of that, he forgot to have the property approved by the Zoning Board. And worse, "Mr. Beta" is trying to get out of his responsibility to the 35 families by selling the property to CRMC last week. "Mr. Beta" doesn't even have the authority to sell the property and an injunction to prevent the sale to CRMC was initiated. How terrible that "Mr. Beta" thought the sale would absolve him of responsibility to these students. I doubt the last of the legal briefs have been seen. Shame on you Mr. Beta; your actions are most appalling.

Posted by: Bob Location: East Lansing on Aug 8, 2008 at 12:03 AM
This is unimaginable. I commend these kids for their bravery is this situation. The city needs to find a way to expedite this process instead of making excuses about a landlord. I look forward to this dilemma being resolved.

Posted by: anonymous on Aug 7, 2008 at 11:25 PM
Someone needs to step up and help these poor boys get there house. They should not be punished for a grown man's stupidity.

Posted by: LegallyRad Location: Lansing on Aug 7, 2008 at 09:18 AM
This is just another example of how bass-ackwards the city of East Lansing is. I know someone who bought a house as an investment when his daughter was at MSU, and now cannot follow through with that investment because East Lansing will not grant a renter license to a man who just wants to rent one house (not a DTN or SRP SLUMLORD - whom they don't crack down on). Quite frankly, I couldn't care less about the Delta Collar-Popping Roofie crew, but it is just another example of why East Lansing manages to leave a sour taste in Spartan Alumni mouthes.

Posted by: Jimmy Location: Jackson on Aug 7, 2008 at 08:32 AM
Don't some officals have better things to worry about? Get the approval, get the project done, let these young men move on. God do I hate officals, they are worthless.

Posted by: Brian Location: East Lansing on Aug 6, 2008 at 10:28 PM
Please follow through on this story.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 6, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Poor kids. Please do a follow-up story. I was involved in Greek life at MSU in the 80s and I hate to see a group of gentlemen in this situation. Good luck men!

WILX Poll
Should The Government Have A Stake In The Big 3?

Yes
No


Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
  • Posted By: craigIf anyone in power was really concerned with helping people of lesser means we would be talking about bring jobs back to the USA where we can prosper and be proud of hard work again. how about a bailout for the countless unemployed AMERICANS, or parents on the brink of disaster that will last a lifetime.
  • Posted By: craiggovernment should help automakers at this point, however to say they (auto makers) are not responsible for the recession is absurd. how many more jobs can they push overseas before there will be no one left to purchase their products anyhow?
  • Posted By: BuzzWhy should the Big 3 be bailed out? GM wants to sell off our discontinue the Saturn, which is affordable but has made no mention of discontinuing the Corvette and other less affordable models. If GM wants help have them pick one particular model in each of its lines, i.e. the Lacrosse for Buick, Impala for Chevrolet and the Aura for Saturn. GM is about as impervious as the out-going President is - they just don't get it! I read and sympathize with the line workers who say they can't even afford to buy a new car from the company that they work for - that's pretty sad and certainly doesn't promote company solidarity. Like I've said before, make the Big 3 sell what's sitting at all the dealerships even if they have to take a loss before making another automobile. Why keep making what nobody wants at prices nobody wants to pay?
  • Posted By: BethThe Big 3 failure would be a major disaster - I agree. However, I don't feel that the government or tax payers should bail them out until they have made the same kinds of concessions that citizens, small business, and union members have already made. Begin by severely downsizing the execs and their benefits i.e. luxuries. Times are tough and they should share in the "recession life style" is part of the reason for decreased car sales. I need a newer car badly, but it's not on my shopping list any time soon. They are flying and driving nice cars. Get real! The union members have suffered considerable cuts already including loss of workers, benefits and wages. Make equal cuts in management, wages, and benefits, then look at union members' additional concessions, and financial aide from the government.
  • Posted By: jonlike i said we the workers will and are getting hurt.they gain we lose
  • Posted By: METhank you UAW, if the union would not have barganed until the big 3 couldn't afford it any more we would all be able to afford nice cars. I was in the union before and it definently isnt all peaches and cream. Sure they will fight to get you more but look what it has done.. Workers recieved more then the company could afford and now more may lose everything. Thanks again UAW. It is flat out B.S. that the government will bail out huge corporations but only give the autos a loan. Its all for the politicians gain, main street America has been hurting alot longer then wall street, but wall street affected the politicians pocket so they did something about it. Mr & Mrs politician help us out, cut your pay & benefits.......quit cutting ours.
  • Posted By: LegallyRadTo Explain: If the banks were not bailed out, that would have affected the big 3, and every other business that deals with the banks (show me one that doesn't). This has nothing to do with Bush. Big 3 are very poorly run, and concede too much to organized labor. The bail out will first be essentially worthless since it will amount to a drop in a bucket, and the companies just blow cash. They need to fail to preserve our American capitalistic economy. Chances are only one or two of them will go out of business, but if they properly restructure then they could be saved... restructuring means cutting labor costs and consolidating products. If you want to blame something, it's mostly due to the mortgage crisis which began with Carter and Clinton who refused to allow banks to ensure that people could actually pay for their loans because they felt it might be discrimination. Look where that policy got us. Bush just happens to be in office when their poorly built floor calapsed.
  • Posted By: MicheleI cannot believe that they are not going to bail out the Big 3.Ford is not even sure it is going to need the money. And why do the banks get bailouts with no questions asked but they make the Big 3 jump through hoops of fire and all they want to do is borrow the money...... Reid is an idiot, and doesn't have a clue of how manufacturing works and what the ramifications down the road will be. Including restraurant, stores, and other service industries closing and going out of business due to lack of business. Let's keep America working!
  • Posted By: George Bush did not run our country in the ditch. He crash it stright into the wall at 100/mph.
  • Posted By: patthis is one more reason we need to thank George Bush for running our country into the ditch!

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