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Waukegan eases up on rental inspection ordinance
STAFF WRITER
WAUKEGAN — Landlords won't pay as much and tenants will have their domicile scrutinized less frequently under a revised rental inspection ordinance approved Monday by the City Council — despite complaints from two aldermen who thought the original version was appropriately strict. "I ran (for re-election) on that ordinance. I felt it was tough. I felt it needed to be tough," said 6th Ward Ald. Larry TenPas, who joined aldermen in a unanimous vote for the new measure even while saying that "I don't think it goes far enough." First Ward Ald. Sam Cunningham, who pointed out that his ward has the city's highest percentage of rental housing stock, also voiced criticism, saying he felt that the previous version was "an aggressive move to turn this city around." That original inspection ordinance was enacted earlier this year and drew complaints about the $25-per-unit fee and allegations about invasion of privacy. City officials said the program was targeted solely at identifying and cleaning up unsafe housing. Under the new measure, rental properties will be inspected every three years instead of on an annual basis, and the inspection fees have been lowered to $10 per unit. "One of the criticisms on this when we did it was that we were just doing it to save money," Needham said. "We said all along that we weren't, and (the lowered fees) proves it." Needham added that the new ordinance represents a compromise that will find the city working with landlords "instead of going to court and battling over things ... Along with the apartment owners and tenants, this has been a learning process for us. I think we've tweaked it into a pretty good ordinance." Local landlord Fred Gust, who worked with Needman and an ad hoc committee on the revisions, said the agreement was not arrived at easily. "We had a lot of interesting discussions on this, and I think we came up with a good program," Gust said. "I think it works for the city and apartment owners." But Cunningham said the original ordinance, with its annual inspections, was a stronger safeguard against substandard housing in his ward. "I'm so disappointed with the way apartment owners are carrying themselves on this," said Cunningham, specifically targeting absentee landlords. "I know that my colleagues spent a lot of time on this, and that's the only reason — the only reason — I'm supporting this ... (They) assured me we must get this on the books and get this program going. But until tonight, my vote was no." Cunningham added that he will monitor how effective the revised inspection program will be as it unfolds. TenPas echoed this, saying that the ordinance should be periodically reviewed. "If it doesn't go well, we can always amend it upward. We can put some more teeth into it," TenPas said. "We have got to get control of our rental housing. It's a must — it's a must." Needham disputed the notion that the revisions have weakened the inspection program, pointing out that it establishes a Task Force on Rental Housing that will be made up of city officials, landlords, tenants and housing advocates. "We were in court all the time, (and) now we have a stronger ordinance because we have the landlords working with us," said Needham, who added that the city was compelled to fine-tune its first stab at the concept. "I don't think we're too big to admit it was a public relations nightmare."
07/08/03 |
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