Rental inpections set to expand

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Rental inpections set to expand

By Russo

The Register-Guard - Eugene,OR*

Published: May 20, 2008

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The Eugene City Council on Monday signaled that it will expand the

city's rental housing inspection program.

Councilors voted 5-2 to schedule a vote next week to give city

inspectors the authority to check rental units for doors and windows

that don't lock and nonexistent or broken smoke detectors.

But after hearing from a dozen unhappy landlords, councilors decided

that they weren't ready to add mold to the list of housing

violations.

Several of the landlords who spoke said mold is often caused by

tenants who don't run bathroom fans or fail to clean. It will be

difficult to determine who is at fault for mold: tenants or

landlords, they warned.

" Adding mold to the housing code will create more problems than it

solves, " said landlord Nichols of Deadwood, who owns five

rentals in Eugene.

Approved in 2004, mainly at the urging of college students, the

program allows city inspectors to check rentals for problems related

to structural integrity, plumbing, heating and weatherproofing.

On Monday, five University of Oregon students asked the council to

expand the program to include door and window locks, smoke detectors

and mold, which can cause health problems.

Student Tom Bode said his rental has mold that his landlord

ignores. " We are not asking you to provide luxuries to Eugene

renters, " he said. " We are asking you to provide necessities. "

The inspection program is self-sufficient, with the salaries of the

inspectors and other costs paid for by a $10 annual fee on each

rental unit. Last year, the fees generated $275,675, while expenses

were $216,499.The $59,176 surplus was rolled over to this year's

program budget, not sent to the city's general fund, according to a

report given to councilors.

Since inspectors began checking rentals, the city has ordered about

110 landlords to make repairs.

The city has levied fines against five property owners. Six rentals

were so dilapidated that inspectors declared them dangerous, which

forced tenants to leave.

When councilors approved the program in 2004, they said it would end

on Dec. 31 of this year unless they decided otherwise.Last October

and on Monday, councilors indicated they will eliminate the ending

date and make the program permanent.

Councilor Bonny Bettman made the successful motion to put the

discussion on mold off to another day, while having the council vote

next Tuesday on adding smoke detectors and locks on windows and

doors.

Council President Pryor said a committee, including renters

and landlords, can help the council decide in the coming months

whether it wants to add mold to the list of conditions that can be

investigated by city inspectors.

" I would rather take the time to work on this more thoughtfully, " he

said.

Councilors also heard questions and concerns about the city's

proposed restrictions on development near waterways.

The construction buffers are meant to improve the quality of water

flowing to the Willamette River, which exceeds regulatory standards

for bacteria, mercury and temperature.

Residents who already have built houses or other structures within

the 25-foot setback would not have to remove the structures.