The Ames City Council will vote Tuesday on how aggressively the city will enforce over-occupancy-related housing code violations, said Sharon Wirth, city council member.

The council is considering fining tenants and landlords who are in violation of the Ames City Housing Code. Wirth said the first violation would result in a $500 fine and the second would cost residents and landlords $750.

“The hope there is that people would be a little more hesitant to enter into an over-occupancy situation,” Wirth said.

According to the housing code, a dwelling in an area zoned as low-density can only have up to three unrelated people living in it. Although this applies to all neighborhoods in Ames, Wirth said the issue is a concern for some residents living in the south campus area.

Wirth said south campus includes the area south of Lincoln Way, west of Beach Avenue and east of Hunt Street or Hyland Avenue.

In prior meetings, the city has received complaints from some residents in that area about the condition of their neighborhoods, according to a city document.

Residents complained of such things as over-occupancy, speeding, noise, parties and the destruction of property.

According to city documents, the majority of people who attended the meetings agreed these problems were due to over-occupancy in rental units.

Wirth said, in the past the city has tried to solve the problem by abatement. This means the city tries to work with both tenants and landlords to solve problems.

“The approach we have taken over the years hasn’t been effective,” Wirth said.

Fern Kupfer, associate professor in English and a Knapp Street resident, said she agrees there is a problem.

She is planning to speak at Tuesday night’s city council meeting about the issue.

She also plans to discuss the larger vision she has for her neighborhood.

Kupfer said she wants a neighborhood that is “safe, clean, and has no sleazy landlords.” She said more aggressive enforcement of the housing code is just the first step to accomplishing this.

Kupfer said she and fellow residents are not “anti-student,” but that they just want a nice place to live.

According to city documents, Steve Schainker, Ames city manager, also agrees housing codes should be more aggressively enforced.

“Even though the ordinance dealing with over-occupancy is very difficult to enforce, staff concurs that we can do a better job in enforcing our existing ordinances,” Schainker said in a city document.

He said he believes a change in current policy is needed.

Wirth said she hopes the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting will be to increase compliance with occupancy regulations.

The city council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 515 Clark Ave.