HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/01/2005, C1 - MODIFICATIONS TO THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 14, 2005 RECEIVED
FEB 2 8 20013
council mEmomndum SLO CITY CLERK
� �
ICity of San Luis Obispo
February 28, 2005
TO: Mayor & Members of the City Council
FROM: Audrey Hooper, City Clerly-
VIA: Ken Hampian, CAO ll,,��
SUBJECT: Modifications to the Minutes of February 14, 2005
Mayor Romero has requested revisions to the Minutes of February 14, 2005 as shown below:
Page C14, Study Session 1
Chris Javine, Operations Director with San Luis Ambulance Service, clarified that there
are ambulances at thfee two locations in the City and said that on most days three
ambulances are usually available. He also discussed the response times in the City.
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Corrections to 2-1405 Minutes
CYDNEY HOLCOMB 90S S94 096S 02/2B/0S 10: 10am P. 001
RECEIVED
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All 5 RON INOR90SLO CITY CLERK
Residents for Quality Neighborhoods
P.O. Box ]2604 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
RED FILE
DATE: February 27, 2005MEET NG AGENDA
TO: San Luis Obispo City Council
DATE ITEM # S� f
VIA: Fax to: 781-7109
RE: Meeting Date: March 1, 2005 - item Number: STUDY SESSION 1
SUBJECT: RENTAL PROPERTY INSPECTION PROGRAM
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council,
In 2002, RQN proposed the adoption of a Rental Inspection Program in response to the ongoing
deterioration of the city's rental housing stock, particularly in R-1 and R-2 neighborhoods. The
goal of this program was to address and correct those substandard and unsafe conditions to
which tenants may be subjected. A recent fire that occurred on Fredericks Street in an illegal
garage conversion with no smoke detector is a prime example of why this type of program is
needed. Additionally, it was hoped that implementation of a rental inspection program would
improve the overall appearance of the various neighborhoods throughout the city and encourage
tenants and their guests to have more pride in their surroundings. [HE 1.3.3]..
We have reviewed your agenda report and the various options outlined therein. It is our opinion
that you should also consider the adoption of two separate and distinct programs:
1. A Rental Property. Inspection Program with full-cost recovery to address the
deterioration of R-1 and R-2 rental housing. This program should include:
• Interior inspections of all rental units;
• Inspections every 3 years; and,
■ Some type of penalty for noncompliance.
2. A Fire and Safety Rental Inspection Program with full-cost recovery for the current
state mandated annual fire inspection program dealing with rental properties
containing three or more units.
Council members, Romero, Settle, Ewan and Brown may recall reviewing the Rental Inspection
Ordinance from the City of Azusa and being asked at our 2002 Council Candidates Forum if you
would support a similar ordinance for the City of San Luis Obispo. Each of you answered in the
affirmative. We hope you will now honor the commitment that you made to our neighborhoods.
Respectfully sub itted, � � Q D1r� 1
' � ! COUNCIL �DD Dln
ICAO :,IFIN DIR
Cy ney Holcomb 2-ACAO ZFIRE CHIEF
Chairperson, RQN ,'?"ATTORNEY TL PW DIR
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,.
Allen Settle-Study Session, March 1, 2005 MAK 01 2 'i
2 I
From: Sandra Rowley <macsar99@yahoo.com>
To: Dave.Romero <dRomero@SLOdty.org>, Christine Mulholland <cMulholland@SLOcity.org>,Alan Settle
<aSetde@SLOdty.org>,John Ewan <jEwan@SLOcity.org>, Paul Brown <pbrown@slocity.org>
Date: 2/28/2005 1:44 PM
Subject: Study Session, March 1, 2005
Mayor Romero and City Council Members,
After several readings of the staff report I came to the conclusion that
the program being discussed was talking about "apples and oranges"and RED FILE.
calling them all "oranges." What I mean by this is that although the title
is "Rental Property Inspection Ordinance," much of the program being proposed ME ING AGENDA
is the currently funded, state-mandated "Fire Inspection Program," with only DATE ITEM #�L
a part of the.proposal applying to inspection of our deteriorating RI and R2
rental properties. While I understand and support the City's need to recoup
the costs of ongoing programs, I object to giving them new titles and
combining them with something else.
Both programs, fire inspection and rental inspection, are, in my opinion,
necessary to the well-being of the city. Both appear well suited to a cost
recovery approach to funding. Therefore, I recommend and request that you
direct staff to pursue two separate ordinances as follows:
1. A "Fire/Fire and Safety Inspection Ordinance" to provide for cost
recovery of the currently funded, currently functioning; state-mandated Fire ,_�_ COUNCIL ----CDD DIR
Inspection Program, and r- CAO .-YFIN DIR
.CACAO AFIRE CHIEF
2. A "Rental Property Inspection Ordinance" to provide, through cost 'ATTORNEY -2'*W DIR
.dr-'CLERK/ORIG xn OLICE CHF
�
recovery, a program to address and correct the deterioration of rental 13 DEPT HEADS •c R=C DIR
housing on R1 and R2 properties. UTIL DIR
The City has a Neighborhood Enhancement Ordinance which addresses the
exterior of properties- height of grass in the yard, etc. - and delineates
various remedies to correct problems. Needed now is the next level of
inspection, a proactive program which sends inspectors out to look at rental
properties on the interior as well as the exterior to check for unpermitted
construction, illegal garage conversions, the presence of smoke alarms,
unsafe electrical conditions, hot and cold running water, condition of roofs,
etc., as delineated in the staff report.
It is imperative that an interior inspection be included to protect
tenants, and neighbors, from potential hazards. Staff discussed a reluctance
of tenants to report substandard conditions for fear of retribution.
Mandating interior inspections takes tenants "off the hook" and is in their
best interest. Since housing inspectors within the Fire Department would
presumably have the right-of-entry discussed in the staff report, this
appears to be a win-win situation for everyone. Add to this an additional
position in Code Enforcement to handle the code violations discovered, and
the city should have a great program to address and improve both the rental
housing and the neighborhoods where they are located.
With so much of our R1 and R2 properties being rentals, I think running
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the inspections on a 4-year cycle, at least for the first several years, is
insufficient to: (a) halt further deterioration of the current rental stock
and (b) keep houses which become rentals from decline. Best case would be to
have.inspections occur annually, but if that's too expensive, I recommend
every 2 years, or every 3 years at the very most.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Sandra Rowley, SLO resident
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Allen Settle - For March 1: Rental Property Inspection Program
From: "Jennifer" <iennifer070@earthlink.net>
To: <dromero@slocity.org>, <asettle@slocity.org>, <cmulholland@slocity.org>,
<jewan@slocity.org>, <pbfown@slocity.org>
Date: 3/1/2005 1:32 PM
Subject: For March 1: Rental Property Inspection Program
RE: Meeting Date: March 1,200S— Item Number: STUDY SESSION 1
SUBJECT: RENTAL PROPERTY INSPECTION PROGRAM
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council,
In response to ongoing deterioration of rental housing stock within the city, RQN proposed that a Rental
Inspection Program be adopted. The goal of this program was to address and correct those substandard
and unsafe conditions to which tenants may be subjected. The recent fire on Fredericks Street that
occurred in an illegal garage conversion with no smoke detector is a prime example. Additionally, it was
hoped that implementation of a rental inspection program would improve the appearance of the various
neighborhoods throughout the city and encourage tenants and their guests to have more pride in their
surroundings.
It is our opinion that Neighborhood Wellness is a very important component of a thriving city, therefore,
we are recommending the adoption of two separate and distinct inspection programs:
1. A Rental Property Inspection Program with cost recovery to address the deterioration of R-1
and R-2 rental housing. The ordinance should:
a. Require interior inspections.
b. Occur at least every 3 years, and
c. Have some type of penalty for noncompliance.
2. A Fire and Safety Rental Inspection Program to provide for cost recovery for the current. state
mandated annual fire inspection program dealing with rental properties containing three or
more units.
Council members, Romero, Settle, Ewan and Brown may recall reviewing material regarding a Rental
Inspection Ordinance from the City of Azusa and being asked at our October 2002 Council Candidates
Forum if you would support a similar ordinance for the City of San Luis Obispo. Each of you answered in
the affirmative. We hope you will honor the commitment-that you made to our neighborhoods.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Robinson
RQN Member
=RECEIVED
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CEIVED
Allen Settle-Rental Property Inspection Ordinance VIA C)
SID Cira�
From: "Michael Clark"<michael.clark-slo@excite.com>
To: <pBrown@sloCity.org>,<jEwan@sloCity.org>,<cMulholland@sloCity.org>,<dRomero@sloCity.org>,
<aSettle@sloCity.org>
Date: 2/28/2005 10:41 PM
Subject: Rental Property Inspection Ordinance
Dear Mayor and City Council--
I own a rental property[a single family home]in San Luis Obispo and am a resident of San Luis Obispo.As such,I support the position of
Residents for Quality Neighborhoods[as stated in their 28 February 2005]regarding the proposed Rental Property Inspection Ordinance..
I would,however,support a more frequent inspection schedule,and I believe that$10 per month per individual unit is a reasonable inspection
fee.
Sincerely—
Michael Clark
Juin Excite!-httu://www.excite.com
The most personalized portal on the Web!
RED FILE
MEETING AGENDA
DATE �
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Dave Romero- Rental Inspection Ordina- Page 1
=1RIECOVEDFrom: Betty Aten <baten@slorevo.com> 1.To: <dromero@slocity.org>Date: 3/1/05 9:36AMSubject: Rental Inspection Ordinance
Dear Mayor Romero and City Council Members,
As a local landlady with eight rental units in SLO, I am opposed to the
Rental Inspection Ordinance as proposed by the RQN. There are other
ways to promote quality rental properties other than adding another
city ordinance. Supply and demand will be the biggest factor in
ensuring quality rentals. The rental market is changing. Renters now
have a greater choice in where they live, unlike a few years ago when
finding any place to rent was a competitive proposition. Landlords who
don't keep up their properties won't be able to find good renters
and/or will have to reduce the rent they ask for.
I hear horror stories from prospective tenants about landlords who
refuse to perform routine maintenance or to make needed repairs. One
even refused to deal with a rat problem! That's wrong and tenants need
to feel that they have a way to report negligent landlords without
repercussions. RED FILE
— ME ING AGEfVD
Instead of a Rental Inspection Ordinance, I would support an effort to A
better educate tenants about their rights and what process to use if DATE t ITEM # �
they feel like they have a legitimate grievance against their landlord.
Thank you for considering my suggestions.
Sincerely,
Betty Aten
1315 Palm St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805.784.9401
CC: <asettle@slocity.org>, <cmulholland@slocity.org>, <jewan@slocity.org>,
<pbrown@slocity.org>
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� RECEIVED ���T�(�
Allen Settle- Rental Property Inspectio Pro l �1� (1 K�ILC�
. ,.
From: <mobile@slorevo.com> F�SLO CITY CLERK
To: <jewan@slocity.org>, <dromero@slocity.org>, <crnulholland@slocity.org>, <asetbe@slocity.org>,
<pbrown@slodty.org>
Date: 3/1/2005 11:34 AM
Subject: Rental Property Inspection Program
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council:
I am the owner of several well-maintained, reasonable-priced rental
units in San Luis Obispo. In that capacity, I am always looking at
local real estate and interacting with tenants on a regular basis. I am
also a member of RQN.
I am opposed to extensive inspection programs currently under
consideration by the Council, for several reasons:
-- RQN seems to think there is a serious problem. I don't.They cite
one example of a fire. One fire does not indicate an epidemic of
substandard or illegal housing. Although my memory isn't what it used
to be, I have a hard time remembering any significant incidents within
the last five years involving tenant injuries due to substandard
housing.
-- RQN cites deterioration of existing rental housing. I disagree.
There are more rental units becoming available all the time,
particularly within the last 18 months. The worst of these units will
have to be upgraded or they will not be rented. It's a self-correcting
market to some extent.
-- It's unlikely that the City will be able to identify and track all
rental units.The worst owners are the least likely to voluntarily
register with the city under the current programs. The best owners are
the ones that will bear the brunt of the fees and hassles.
—These proposals add another layer of bureaucracy and costs to the
business of managing rental property in San Luis Obispo. If the City
increasingly institutes regulations for rental property owners, those
owners will start removing their buildings from the rental stock.
There are mechanisms already in place to deal with the problems of
illegal and dangerous housing--there are resources for educating
tenants about their rights and how to ensure them; there are mechanisms
in place for reporting and correcting code violations. We don't need
yet another process to address the same issues.
I understand the need for and encourage fiscal responsibility, and I
fully support finding a way to make the state-mandated fire inspection
program pay for itself. I would encourage you to show some restraint,
however, and avoid implementing unnecessary ordinances that penalize
the wrong people for what some of us think is a minor problem.
RQN seems quite concerned about appearances and neighborhood pride.
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Personally, I think the City looks pretty darn good and that most
people already have pride in their neighborhoods. Also, I'd like to
point out that RQN leadership does not necessarily represent their
membership. I was unaware that they were championing this issue, and
I've been a member for almost two years. Although I agree with many of
their goals, I have to disagree on this topic.
Thank you for your consideration and for your continued hard work
towards making San Luis Obispo a great place to live.
Best regards,
Steve Mann
1315 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805/784.9461
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Allen Settle- Rental Inspection Ordinance RECEIVED
MAR 0 3 C"HU J
From: <Tap88834@aol.com>
To: <asettle@slocity.org> SLO CITY CLERK
Date: 3/2/2005 7:04 PM
Subject: Rental Inspection Ordinance
Council Members:
Following the Rental Property Inspection Program study session,my husband,a retired Captain of SLO Fire Department,and 1,
owners of rental properties,thought this over and questioned some facts.
1. How many apply for Fire Department positions and why;some reasons being:
• Good paying employment with excellent retirement.
• Easy hours,Battalion Chiefs,Captains,Engineers and firemen work 56 hrs per week.
2. State Code Inspections have always been required,study session made it sound
as if this is a new issue. Some points to be considered,Captains,Engineers and Firemen use to make required inspections and
inspections of other areas to familiarize themselves in case of an emergency call. Administrative Inspectors as a rule do not
respond to emergencies,therefore one is defeating the purpose of a dual inspection.
3. Consideration of first inspection free with instruction of corrections if required.
Second inspection to verify corrections were not complied with,Fire Marshall
or Building Inspector would follow up and citation would be given to property owner. Property owner would then be required
to pay cost of first and second inspection and any additional follow up.
Sincerely,
Patrick(Pat)and Grace Dempsey
KrWXJI
p�le�
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