HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/28/2025 Item 5a, Walker, K.
kathie walker <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Item 5a
Mayor Stewart and Council Members Shoresman, Francis, Marx and Boswell,
I only became aware of the special meeting this evening and read the agenda and correspondence. I am
sorry I have not written sooner but wanted to provide my input.
The RHIP was well-intentioned and should have worked. The reason it was repealed is because there
were unintended consequences. For example, one of my friends lost their rental on Story Street because
the 90-year old property owner could not afford to bring the properties up to the standard required by the
City at that time. The rental had heat, the roof didn't leak, there weren't rodents, etc. but the City couldn't
find permits for some improvements so was requiring the property owner to get permits and bring the
house up to today's code, which was not possible for elderly property owner. Unfortunately, the City's
requirements per the RHIP were not realistic and went far beyond merely making the rental habitable.
The person who lost their rental became a vocal opponent to repeal the RHIP because they lost their
home that was habitable and safe and they were not alone.
The problem was an overzealous Chief Building Inspector who left the City soon after the RHIP
was repealed. The truth is that the City did not need to 'throw the baby out with the bath water' by
repealing the RHIP, but unfortunately, that's what happened.
There should be reasonable standards for a safe and habitable home, as outlined in the agenda report.
There are far too many substandard, unsafe rentals in SLO and people should not be afraid to report the
problems for fear of losing their rental. I love the proposed mediation and legal clinic which would
provide help to renters.
A rental registry is also a great idea, and each separate rental should require a separate yearly fee. It
does not make sense that a property owner with more than one rental only pays one fee. There are many
property investors who own multiple rental properties and they should pay a separate yearly fee for each
rental. That money would help fund enforcement to ensure safe and habitable rental homes.
I also appreciate that the City's website now includes information about renter's rights, which is a recent
and positive improvement. It's heartening to see that the City is moving in the right direction to protect
tenants from unsafe living conditions.
Sincerely,
Kathie Walker
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