Most students do not consider roach motels and rat traps as essential college gear, but for the entrants in the Associated Students of Madison's \Worst House in Madison"" contest, vermin, exposed electrical wires and flooded basements are only the beginning of the problem.
""It's just a bad situation in general for students,"" said Christina McCabe Wagner, an ASM tenant rights intern.
On Wednesday ASM and the Tenant Resource Center, 1202 Williamson St., announced initiatives to improve student housing, including the Worst House Contest and a survey evaluating landlords.
The Worst House Contest, which started in 1998, provides students the opportunity to submit a description of their rental experiences, with a chance at winning cash and prizes if their house is named the ""worst in Madison.""
The larger goal however, is to raise awareness of the student-tenant situation and seek tangible change.
""The contest will not only publicize some of the more disgusting student living conditions in our city, but it will also hopefully send a message to unsympathetic landlords around town: It's time to do your job,"" said Chris Tatarowicz, ASM tenant rights campaign co-coordinator.
The only requirements of the contest are that the tenants have tried to contact their landlord and the problem has not been dealt with, Tatarowicz said.
""We are trying to publicize irresponsible landlords here, not lazy tenants,"" he said.
City alders, who attended the press conference to support joint initiatives with ASM on tenant rights, commented that entries, with the consent of the entrants, will be advocated to receive priority for building inspections.
To enter, students should send a brief description of their current housing to worsthouse@yahoo.com before April 18.
ASM is also working with the Tenant Resource Center on a joint survey aimed at evaluating landlords so other students can be better informed about them, said Erica Christoph, the Tenant Resource Center campus coordinator.
The surveys can be accessed from the ASM and Tenant Resource Center Web sites.
These initiatives aim to raise awareness even among students not currently experiencing problems.
""Sure, you live in the dorms now, but where are you going to live next year?"" McCabe Wagner said.
