Brothel Ordinance Prohibits WSU Sorority Sisters from Living Together

DETROIT - Members of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority at Wayne State University hold their chapter meeting on campus. Recently, they looked into buying a house near the campus where many of the sorority sisters hoped to live. However, they ran into an old Detroit ordinance still on the books.

"I'm sort of smiling because it's humorous in the sense that we have all sorts of etiquette ordinances that are still on the books that never really been acted upon, and the ordinance that you're referring to stated that any more than seven or eight females in a house is considered as a brothel," said Wayne State University Police Chief Anthony Holt.

The ordinance from the 19th century, of course, does not apply to males and fraternity houses.

"That's nonsense, shenanigans," said Waye State student Shana Moss. "Doesn't make any sense."

Some see the old law as unfair and discriminatory.

"It's sexist," said Wayne State student Elena Callas. "Completely unfair."

Others find the old law literally laughable.

Wayne State student John Setser chuckled and said, "Wow. How old is that?"

The sorority sisters are looking at their options.

"(They) could get a change in ordinance or they could do sort of an application for a waiver of that ordinance that affects them," Holt said.