HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-16-2014 SS1 WalkerCOUNCILMEETING: VL—Lb -2,014
ITEM NO.: SS1
Christian, Kevin
From: Mejia, Anthony
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2014 3:47 PM DEC 15 2014
To: Christian, Kevin
Subject: FW: Proposed Rental Inspection Program, SS1 12/16/2014
Attachments: San Luis Obispo Rental Inspection Program.docx; San Luis Obispo Rental Inspection
Program.pdf
From: Kathie Walker [mailto :kathiewalkerslo @gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2014 3:47 PM
To: Jan Marx; Rivoire, Dan; Christianson, Carlyn; Carpenter, Dan; Ashbaugh, John; Marx, Jan; Lichtig, Katie; Codron,
Michael; Dietrick, Christine; Johnson, Derek; Mejia, Anthony
Subject: Proposed Rental Inspection Program, SS1 12/16/2014
Please see my letter in support of the proposed Rental Inspection Program, attached to this email as a word doc
and pdf. In advance, I appreciate your time reading the letter and considering situations related to this important
proposal.
Thank you,
Kathie Walker
Kathie Walker
1269 Fredericks Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
RE: Rental Inspection Program
Dear Mayor Marx and Council Members Ashbaugh, Carpenter, Christianson and Rivoire:
I am writing in support of the Rental Inspection Program. My husband, Steve, and I feel fortunate to have the
opportunity to live, work, and raise our children in San Luis Obispo. A few years ago we were able to purchase
our property in an R -2 zone on Fredericks Street. The additional rental income we receive from a one - bedroom
cottage at the back of our property combined with the money we earn, enabled us to qualify for our mortgage.
When we purchased our property it was a long -term rental. The sellers, Cal Poly parents, disclosed they had
fixed some drainage problems and the perimeter drains they had installed were evident. They had no
knowledge of other work done on the property.
We had TWO home inspections performed on the property by separate licensed home inspectors. The first
inspector indicated some termite damage which was taken care of by the seller. The inspection report did not
list any issues related to code violations that existed on our property. The second home inspection was
performed by an FHA - certified home inspector, based on the high standards required in order to obtain an FHA
mortgage. No code violations were listed in that report, either.
After we moved into our property we discovered several problems including a rat infestation, plumbing issues,
and foul odors that occasionally emitted from the kitchen and bathroom sinks. On warm days, the acrid odor of
rat urine permeated our home. Our small kitchen was gutted and contaminated insulation was removed from
the walls and ceiling which was filled with years of rat waste and carcasses.
We planned to use our savings to update the home. However, in the midst of our renovation Steve was
catastrophically injured while piloting a commercial airline over Florida when his aircraft encountered clear air
turbulence. He sustained head and neck injuries, and damage to his spinal cord. The loss of Steve's income was
supplemented with our savings and we were thankful that we had rental income from an amazing tenant living
in our cottage at the back of our property that enabled us to survive.
Long story short: More than a year after his accident, Steve
sought medical care outside of the worker's comp system, was
referred to Stanford Medical Center, underwent another year
of intensive physical therapy, and eventually obtained his
aviation medical again.
Last year, he was able return to his passion of flying a
helicopter for an Emergency Medical Services operation and
recently transferred to a base nearby. We are now trying to
catch up where our lives left off before his accident.
oh happy day. Steve and our sons in 2014 on
Steve's first day of work at a local EMS base.
Meanwhile, an angry relative began a campaign to harass our family. Among other things, she filed a complaint
with the City of San Luis Obispo citing possible code violations. Earlier this year, an inspection of our property
was conducted by code enforcement officer, Cassia Cossina and the chief building inspector, Joseph Lease.
After the inspection, we were presented with a document that listed several pages of code violations dating
back decades. Our tenant moved out after she graduated in June 2014 and we are not re- renting the cottage
until the situation with the City is resolved. Without that income we are barely getting by.
The long list of code violations runs the gamut: from the installation of the water heater in our home to lack of
proper venting in the plumbing system to skylights in a bedroom, all of which existed when we purchased the
property. One major concern is the City's assertion that our living room and master bedroom, which are the
main part of our 2- bedroom home, were formerly a carport that was converted without permits within the last
50 years. We are now faced with the difficult position to either tear down the majority of our home or somehow
bring the structure up to current building codes. We cannot afford either option and have spent many sleepless
nights worrying about what we are going to do.
Steve and I wholeheartedly support a Rental Inspection Program. If it had been in place when we purchased
our property we would have avoided the nightmare we are now facing.
We feel helpless in a situation that could have been prevented. Realtors are not trained as code enforcement
officers. Apparently, neither are licensed home inspectors. Absentee owners are often unaware of problems
with their rental properties or modifications that were made by previous owners as rental properties change
hands. Or they intentionally fail to disclose items to unsuspecting buyers.
Code violations should not be discovered on a case -by -case basis, based on complaints from a vulnerable tenant
or angry adversary. Inspections should be applied across the board so that every rental property will rise up to a
healthy, livable standard. The program protects tenants and home buyers, like us. It also ensures that properties
are held to a certain standard and preserves the quality and well -being of our neighborhoods.
The severe shortage of rentals versus the large demand for rentals is the perfect storm for landlords to exploit
the situation in order to gain the highest amount of rent possible. Rentals advertised on craigslist show a
number of illegal garage conversions or other out buildings being advertised as rentals. SLO Life Magazine
recently featured a story about our rental market, citing a 3- bedroom house in a family neighborhood
advertised as a 4- bedroom based on a converted garage used as the fourth bedroom. Six young adults moved in.
This is not an isolated issue. It is happening in our neighborhood, too.
Other cities across California and the U.S. have implemented Rental Inspection Programs with extremely positive
results. They have paved the way, proving that the program works. Please follow their lead and implement a
Rental Inspection Program in San Luis Obispo.
Sincerely,
Kathie Walker