Watch: Landlord Licensing Proposal Gets Negative Response at Public Hearing

The overwhelming majority of the 150 plus people at the Landlord Licensing and Inspection Program public hearing said they do not support the program as presented.

Mayor Kevin Utz told Patch that he and the common council have a lot to discuss based on citizen's comments at the public hearing.

"I know that this is controversial," Utz said. "Tonight we heard a lot of opinions and some different ideas that we will take into consideration."

City Council members put together the Rental Licensing & Inspection Program Task Force last spring. Made up of five local citizens who are in real estate and/or own rental properties, Utz said that the task force did what was asked of it: create a rental licensing and inspection program that the city might consider implementing.

The proposal as presented by the Task Force would require landlords to pay a $20 licensing fee and an estimated $100 inspection fee. To view the Task Force Report click here and for their PowerPoint presentation click here.

Close to 20 people spoke at the hearing, nearly all saying that they do not agree with the proposal put forth by the landlord licensing Task Force.

Some who spoke at the hearing Monday night suggested that no landlord licensing program should be implemented and instead the city should work to enforce existing nuisance and code laws. Others suggested that landlords be required to register with the city, but inspections only be required on a complaint-driven basis.

Common Council member Tony Chiavacci told citizens at the public hearing that the process is still in the early stages as the Mayor and Common Council work to gather information and input.

The Mayor and Common Council will discuss landlord licensing and comments from the public hearing at their next regularly scheduled meeting Monday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

See Also:

• City Council Ponders Landlord Licensing to Curb Main Street Problems
• City Council Gets First Glimpse at Landlord Licensing Program
• Public Hearing Tonight: Rental Licensing and Inspection Program