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LISBON -- Village Councilman Peter Wilson wants his colleagues to consider enacting a landlord inspection program to bring some order to the growing number of rental properties in town.
Wilson raised the issue at Tuesday's council meeting, where he proposed drafting legislation requiring landlords to register their rental properties with the village for a nominal annual fee. The money would be used to hire a part-time employee required to inspect the rental properties yearly to determine whether the domiciles are clean and meet code in regard to such basic things as heating, electric, running water, windows and have smoke detectors.
He said the village water department determined based on billing there about 400 rental units in town.
In addition to looking into rental inspection programs enacted by communities such as Salem, Leetonia and East Liverpool, Wilson said he spoke with the local inspector for Columbiana Metropolitan Housing Authority, which is in charge of inspecting local properties participating in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 8 rental subsidy program. The HUD inspector recommended such a program be kept simple, making it easier to enforce, and indicated he might be interested in the job.
Wilson suggested an annual registration fee of $20 or $30 per rental unit. At $20, the fee would generate about $8,000 a year to pay for the inspector position.
While his colleagues were not necessarily opposed to such a program, they wanted to learn more before making a commitment. Councilwoman Dawn Thomas was interested in learning more about how the enforcement aspect of the program would work and how would the village learn about landlords who do not register.
Wilson said while he has more research to do, he believes such a program is needed given the number of old buildings in town that serve as rental properties, some dating back to the 19th century, such as the 208-year-old, three-story building on North Market Street that was home to eight renters. The dilapidated building caught fire in November, sending the tenants fleeing for their lives, including one who climbed out of an upstairs window and climbed down the wall to escape. Eleven dogs perished in the blaze.
Tenants were using portable kerosene and electric space heaters to keep warm, and there were reportedly no smoke detectors. Although the cause of the fire remains undetermined, the state fire marshal concluded the fire started in a second-floor apartment in a room with a space heater.
Councilman Jerry Cox wondered how could you legally force landlords not participating in Section 8 subsidy program to have their properties inspected? Wilson said they would only be enforcing building code requirements already in state law.
Wilson pointed out the fire chief recommended council enact a rental property inspection program in response to the November fire. "Right now there's nothing regulating rental properties in Lisbon," he said.
Wilson said he will continue to look into what it takes to come up with a plan and report back to council at a future meeting.