Rental property licensing may expand
Commission considers property licenses and periodic inspections
Members of the community came out in both support and rejection of the measure. The city wants to ensure the safety of tennants, but additional costs are also a concern.
By Matt Erickson (Contact)
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007
Lawrence may soon hold landlords more accountable for health and safety problems with their properties.
The city commission decided unanimously Tuesday night to consider requiring landlords to obtain a license for all rental properties in the city and to undergo periodic inspections for code violations. The program would probably require most properties to be inspected annually, but commissioners discussed the possibility of requiring newer apartment complexes to be inspected less often.
The commission will study and consider the issue this summer when it prepares next year’s city budget.
Mayor Mike Amyx said the commission wanted to ensure that all rental properties were fit to live in.
“I don’t think anyone wants anybody to be living in any substandard housing,” Amyx said.
The city currently requires rental properties to be licensed in single-family residence zones, where more than three unrelated people may not live together. The new measure being considered would extend the requirement to properties in multiple-family residence zones, where most rental properties in Lawrence exist.
Several members of the public spoke for and against the expansion of the rental licensing system at the city commission meeting.
I’d hate to see a big fire happen, or something really wrong happen, in one of these old buildings just because there was a mistake made.
-Tom Harper, a Lawrence landlord
Tom Harper, a Lawrence landlord, said he owned a property in the Oread Neighborhood, which encompasses the area between campus and the downtown area, that would be affected. Harper said he would support requiring all rental properties to obtain a license.
He said many of the older houses in the Oread Neighborhood could become unsafe if not properly maintained by their owners. He said landlords who could not maintain their properties should not be renting their properties out.
“I’d hate to see a big fire happen, or something really wrong happen, in one of these old buildings just because there was a mistake made,” Harper said.
The city would pay for the rental property inspections by charging landlords a licensing fee. The city’s current fee for single-family rental properties is $25 for each rental unit.
Brandy Sutton, an attorney who represents local landlords, said that cost would be transferred to tenants.
“It is simply a regressive tax that we’re putting on people who already cannot afford to own their own homes and are looking for affordable housing in this city,” Sutton said.
Commissioner David Schauner said he didn’t think the fee would be very damaging for landlords.
Kansan staff writer Matt Erickson can be contacted at merickson@kansan.com.
— Edited by Carissa Pedigo
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