SALISBURY -- Decreased participation in a random mandatory rental inspection program has the city considering more stringent guidelines to ensure the safety of renters.
The City Council tabled proposed enhancements to the program at Monday's work session.
Tom Stevenson, director of Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance, said the city of College Park has a provision in its code that states the public service department can inspect a rental unit once per year and more often as substantiated by a violation or complaint. The mandate held up in court, with an ultimate ruling stating the law is not an issue of unreasonable search and seizure.
"The overarching purpose of this legislation is to protect the health, safety and welfare of those who rent in the city," Stevenson said. "I believe it's a reasonable request to make."
Stevenson proposed a requirement that every new unit registration result in an inspection; a clear definition of "full comprehensive inspection;" a requirement that random inspections be a condition of annual unit reregistration; a requirement that every new single-family or duplex unit be subjected to an inspection at least once every three years; a requirement that every multifamily building with three or more units or an apartment building be subject to an inspection at least once every five years; and a provision stating that should the owner refuse to allow the inspection, the registration will be suspended, the unit will be ordered vacated and fines will be issued.
Council Vice President Debbie Campbell said the city should work toward performing an inspection every three years or each time a rental unit turns over. She pointed out that inferior units, or problem units, turn over more often.
"How do we really drive improvement in a meaningful way, and at the same time, get at the worst properties and be as sensitive as possible to the fact that (the tenants) are renting, it's their home, but a rental property is a business and should be in compliance," Campbell said, adding inspections every three years for other rentals would be less invasive.
Stevenson said he does not know the rate of turnover for rentals in the city and must ensure he has enough man power to perform these inspections.
Councilwoman Laura Mitchell said homeowners should be subjected to the same inspections.
"We could potentially create a situation where a rental property is required to keep their house to a certain standard, and it's sitting next to an owner occupied home not being held to the same standard," Mitchell said. "It's diminishing the landlord's ability to rent that home because the garbage they have to live next to is owner occupied."
Stevenson said his department keeps an eye on owner occupied homes and is currently dealing with a "hoarding situation" in one such property.
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