Armed with hammers and nails, Lysol and scrub brushes, more than 15 members and alumni of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity worked together to repair the chapter's house, which was found in disrepair by East Lansing housing inspectors in early July.
Between 15 and 40 current and former members gathered every weekend since then to work on the laundry list of violations reported by inspectors.
"We got the word out through e-mail to a lot of brothers. We sent a list of things that needed to be done," said Brian Debbaudt, 1994 MSU graduate and president of Gamma Triton Building Association and part-owner of the property. "We've been getting support from people we haven't heard from in years."
Chapter President Ben Heikes said the house clean-up is only the beginning.
"It's good to see improvements being made, now we're working to get more members in the house," the economics senior said.
The chapter, 139 Bailey St., was in danger of being condemned after city housing inspectors found the house vacant and in disorder, with doors and windows missing.
The Gamma Triton Building Association, an executive board of alumni who own the property, asked members to leave the house in May so repairs could be done during the summer, though no repairs had been made by the time the house was found by inspectors July 9.
The housing corporation has spent more than $6,000 in the past three weeks to make repairs, such as replacing bathroom and lighting fixtures, cleaning out rooms and ripping up flooring, Debbaudt said. Members say they hope the alumni will come through to raise more than $30,000, which the housing corporation plans to use to fix up the house by the end of August.
When inspectors warned the housing corporation of the possible condemnment, the house was closed up and secured by members. In the following days, more than 20 members and alumni helped to move more than 6,000 cubic feet of garbage out of the house, Debbaudt said.
But alumni say problems with the house can't all be fixed with hammers and nails. The fraternity has not had enough members sign leases to fill the house since the mid-1990s, causing the chapter to lose money every year.
"It's been difficult for the guys to fill the house; therefore, it's been difficult for our corporation to make money," Debbaudt said. "We're not professional landlords, we just do this for the students, but on the outside we are expected to work just as hard and perform like professionals."
But some city officials worry members are not showing enough responsibility for their home.
"(The alumni) are coming back because they are concerned, but the ones that live there this past season, they are the ones that should be back," Councilmember Bev Baten said. "I am just appalled that a house would get to that condition and no one would report it."
The mortgage for the house is $2,200 per month and utilities tack about $1,000 onto the property's monthly costs. Members pay $1,500 each during a semester to cover rent and utilities.
The house is licensed for 28 occupants, and while 22 members might be returning, only six leases had been signed by July - that would bring in only $18,000 to cover the $28,000 needed to run the house for the nine-month school year.
In an attempt to lure more brothers into the house, the fraternity might pay for members to break their leases where they rent, so they won't lose money if they choose to move into the chapter house.
If the chapter keeps having problems to make ends meet, the housing corporation might consider renting rooms to students not affiliated with the chapter.
Peter Levin, a 1998 MSU graduate and fraternity member, said he remembers living in a full house during his first years at the chapter, but saw a decrease in members each semester.
"The greek system dwindled down, even large houses are having trouble," he said. "We hope if we show some alumni support, we can see our medium-sized house full again."
Staff writer Amy Davis contributed to this report.
