Jackson Corners Neighborhood Association

Coming before the council this Tuesday 2/24/09 is a revision to the rental registration program. This change in the ordinance will provide for an annual registration of rental property.  Currently there is not an adequate tracking mechanism for listing rental properties. Code enforcement may have a difficult time tracking down a landlord when there are problems or public safety issues may arise.  Other data will be collected as well, which I will address shortly.

This is not a new idea.  It has been attempted many years ago under the Housing Commission and the Neighborhood Development Commission (both are no longer in existance to our detriment).  When I was president of the Neighborhood Alliance, with overwhelming support, we started a committee in conjunction with the landlord coalition to discuss ways that neighborhoods and landlords could function better together.  Under this committee various discussions ensued regarding rental properties and ideas and suggestions were made.  Councilman Manning attended the final meeting of this group. He was provided information from a Department of Justice convention that I attended in L.A. on housing programs in Washington state.  With this information Councilman Jacob and Manning worked on drafting this ordinance in collaboration with Code Enforcement, the Landlord Coalition and the Neighborhoods of the Alliance.  Ideas and compromises were utilized in the formation of this ordinance.

The Landlords did not wish frequent internal inspections of their properties to which there were fees attached.  Code Enforcement does not have adequate staff to complete in the current ordinance required cycle. The Alliance felt that interior and exterior inspections of homes were important for safety issues and help ensure a better quality of renter who would be attracted to better quality housing stock.

Everyone agreed that the current system is ineffective, out of compliance, and not achieving the goals of the program.  Compromises were reached in this ordinance allowing landlords and tenants to do an annual inspection together, filing that documentation with the city. Inspections would be done on the revised cycle in the ordinance.  Complaint driven inspections would remain as they currently are. This aspect had been presented by landlords.

Neighborhoods were concerned about the “fox watching the hen house“, in some instances, as well as issues like overcrowded housing, failure to register rentals houses as rental houses and enforcement issues. This is addressed by filing the annual inspection notices done by the landlords and tenants with the city and increasing fines for non compliance and/or providing false information. Landlords will be required to file the number of the maximum number of tenants in the property.  Failing to register properties is addressed. A better defination of “owner occupied” s outlined.

This ordinance is facing some council opposition.  Since Neighborhoods were involved in its formation, neighborhood leaders should take three plans of action.  1. inform your representatives (your district, 5 at larges, and the Mayor) of you investment in this ordinance.  2. inform your residents of this ordinance. 3.  show up to the council meeting in person on 2/24/2009 in City Hall, 4th floor at 6:15pm.

This is an election year for some. This is your voice and your work.

attached is the link to the ordinance. I hope to see you Tuesday.