HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-05-2015 PH1 RowleyCOUNCIL MEETING: CAS uS Z0
ITEM NO.: P�r�
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Residents for (duality Neighborhoods
P.O. Box 12604 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
May 5, 2015 RECEIVED
SUBJECT: PHI Rental Housing Inspection Program
MAY 04 2015
Dear Mayor Marx and Members of the Council, SL Q CITY - --
Residents for Quality Neighborhoods supports staff's recommendation. It represents over two years of
research, discussions with other municipalities that have such programs, and meetings with potentially
affected stakeholders and residents. If there were a more effective, more equitable way of addressing
the continued deterioration of the city's rental housing, it would have been discovered by now.
It is time to admit that our current system is not sufficient to address the myriad of code violations in our
rental housing, and that we need to do something different. A walk or drive through neighborhoods with
a high number of rental homes clearly demonstrates that relying solely on a complaint- driven system is
not working. In addition, several RQN members have seen first hand the substandard condition of the
interiors of some of that housing by going to open houses of properties for sale or for rent.
The proverbial elephants in the room are the growth in enrollment at Cal Poly with no concomitant
growth in on- campus housing and the growth in out -of- county enrollment at Cuesta with no housing
whatsoever. Until one or more of those situations changes and past growth without housing is rectified,
the least we can do is try to maintain the rental housing we have — both for current and future use.
If Neighborhood Wellness is to be more than a meaningless catch - phrase, a program to inspect and
correct code violations needs to be enacted now before more properties fall into disrepair. The support
of each of you for the safety, health and welfare of tenants, their neighbors and our community as a
whole would be appreciated.
At this time, we have one suggestion to add to staff's recommendations that would facilitate the process.
It takes a great deal of time to sort through property records to determine which properties are rentals as
opposed to second homes, and to obtain contact information for the owners. If real estate agents had
investors complete the rental business license and related information at time of sale, new owners would
not need to search out this information. Also, the amount of staff time required to identify properties
used as rentals and contact information for their owners would be greatly reduced.
Thank you for your time and your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Sandra Rowley
Chairperson, RQN