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TROUBLING TACTICS Letter to News Sun Editor As a resident/landlord of the city of Waukegan, I'm troubled by the current tactics of the city Code Enforcement Department. They're going to tenants' apartments armed with administrative search warrants so they can gain entry into the various apartments under the guise of life/safety inspections without the tenants' approval. I believe in the constitutional rights of the citizens of Waukegan, and I do believe the search is a violation. If the city's purpose is to eliminate overcrowding, I propose a solution for both the city and landlords. Have a code enforcement officer drive at night to see where there are numerous vehicles parked on the streets, in driveways, and in apartment complex parking lots. Record the address and check for zoning i.e., one bedroom, two bedroom house, number of units for an apartment building. Visit the water department to see how much water consumption is being used. A family of four normally uses 20,000 to 25,000 gallons of water every three months. If the water consumption is high, try and obtain an administrative search warrant. If this is not enough evidence to secure an administrative search warrant, have a police or code enforcement officer do a garbage pickup. By going through it, the discarded mail will reveal approximately how many individuals are living there. Maybe the police will be able to uncover some other illegal activity at the same time. I know retrieving garbage by the police is legal because I did this before my retirement as a Waukegan police officer when informed of illegal activities at a residence. As a landlord I pay a license fee of $100 yearly for my 12-unit apartment building, along with a yearly $25 per unit fee for the inspections of each apartment and an additional $25 inspection fee for each apartment due to a vacancy during the year. As for the homeowners who approve of this, be patient, you may be next. When the city of Waukegan sees the income streaming in from the landlords, they will decide it is time to do life/safety inspections every year on your residence. You see, folks, this is not about about life/safety. This is about another tax the city of Waukegan has imposed on their citizens. Richard E. Slusser, Jr. Waukegan
01/16/03 |
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