Editor’s note: The names used in this story have been changed to protect the identities of those living in violation of the law.
Norman residents who live with more than two people they are not related to may want to get on their neighbors’ good sides soon. The City of Norman will begin enforcing a little-known ordinance that is inherently up to their discretion.
The Three Unrelated Persons ordinance, which has been in place since 1954, limits single-family dwellings to residents who are family members, or to no more than three unrelated people living together. The City of Norman Revitalization Division manager Linda Price said the law is in place to control traffic, noise and parking problems.
“I’m sure there are hundreds of households in Norman that violate the ordinance, but if they never get complained about, there’s nothing negative about it and there’s nothing we can do,” Price said. “But we do have a number of households that we receive complaints about fairly often, and that’s when we start investigating.”
Residents may fill out a complaint form if they believe the ordinance is being broken in their neighborhood. The owner or property manager of the dwelling will be contacted, and they will be asked to correct the situation within a designated time frame without being issued a citation. If a citation is issued, there will be a fine of up to $500 per day in violation.
“I don’t really see how it’s fair to kick people out of a house that they are legally renting, just because they are unrelated,” Sarah, an instrument music education junior, said. “How does one more person living in a house affect the ‘integrity’ of the neighborhood?”
Price said the law is not designed to punish college students. When the law was written in 1954, students were required to live in the dorms. Price also said most cities have a definition of what a single family is.
“The impact of having numerous unrelated people is seen through parking problems; trash and overall property maintenance; and the increased activity level that happens when more than three unrelated people and all their friends are coming and going,” Price said.
Price said because the ordinance is enforced by complaints, there are many households in violation that will never get caught.
“It’s very difficult for us to determine if a house is in violation of the ordinance, so enforcement is based on complaints,” Price said. “The neighbors have to be willing to testify that the household is conflicting with the character of the neighborhood.”
Sarah’s roommate Lauren, an instrument music education senior, said she’s “not worried [they’ll] get caught because [they] don’t cause problems within the neighborhood.”
Lauren said her neighborhood is made up of a mix of traditional families and college students, and that big parties and parking are rarely an issue.
“On our street, the loudest household that causes the biggest traffic problems is not one occupied by college students, but by a family with kids,” Lauren said.
Price said the mayor set up an ad hoc committee to address the zoning problems after OU banned alcohol on campus.
“After that, everyone moved off campus and we had issues with rampant partying,” Price said. “For a while it created huge problems. We were getting calls every day from people angry about the parties and traffic caused by these houses, and that’s when we were urged to enforce the zoning ordinance more carefully.”
Price said it has taken a while to spread the word about the ordinance, but it’s finally starting to work.
Lauren said she heard a rumor about the ordinance, but didn’t think it was true.
“Most people I’ve talked to [about the ordinance] didn’t know it existed,” Sarah said. “I don’t think my landlord knows about it, either.”
Price said the law isn’t aimed at students, and she hopes that students will become more educated about the law so they won’t violate it.
There have been situations where there are no students involved, Price said.
“I think it’s truly not aimed at any one group, but it’s aimed at trying to maintain the integrity of neighborhoods. In a single-family neighborhood, there’s an expectation of peace, and we’re trying to protect that.”
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braceyourself 1 year, 7 months ago
“I’m sure there are hundreds of households in Norman that violate the ordinance, but if they never get complained about, there’s nothing negative about it and there’s nothing we can do,” Price said. “But we do have a number of households that we receive complaints about fairly often, and that’s when we start investigating.”
Umm...then start ticketing people for violating noise and/or traffic complaints. Obviously, if it's the act of living together that's not negative, then don't punish it.
Chris_Robertson 1 year, 7 months ago
Why was this law originally passed? It seems like it would have a disparate impact on certain minority or immigrant communities. Another example of how bad laws unnecessarily restrict of basic freedom.
Okie3L 1 year, 7 months ago
Here's a thought. Get rid of the law. If students had to live in the dorms in 1954, but they don't have to now, then the law is outdated and needs to be changed.
celiagnu 1 year, 7 months ago
Is this only enforced in single-family neighborhoods? What about apartments like the Edge that are aimed at college students and have four bedroom units? What about fraternity and sorority houses? I agree that it seems originally to have been aimed at segments of the community that might have been seen as "undesirable" when it was passed SIXTY YEARS AGO.