The Student Senate Housing Committee is working on establishing a support network for off-campus students that may help them deal with landlord issues and find housing.

Tenant unions exist at other schools, and do what Eastern already does, Housing Chair Alison Mormino said Tuesday. However, a tenant union at Eastern would combine services already provided by the Student Senate to make sure they are carried out.

The tenant union at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana works with their legal services to help students decipher leases and find housing along with maintaining a landlord data base for students to leave comments and complaints about their landlords, among other services, Mormino said.

While the tenant union at U of I does not do advocacy, some groups do, Mormino said.

A tenant union at Eastern would work to maintain the current landlord registration system, located in the Student Government Office, but unutilized. The union will also work with legal services to help students solve problems with their landlords.

Work has started on the project and the group should be in full swing next semester, Mormino said.

Mormino said she hopes in the future for the group to gain enough clout to be a mediator for students having problems with their landlords, possibly by sending a letter.

The tenant union at Western Illinois University works as a mediator between students and landlords, Mormino said, and the service is often used by students.

Currently, members of the Housing Committee are working with the project, but anyone interested is welcome, Mormino said. Mormino wants at least five to 10 students for the group, but will take as many students that are interested.

Students interested in working with the tenant union can stop by the Student Government Office, located on the second floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union across from Copy Express.