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Rental laws elsewhere encourage planners
(by Sue Reid - August 18, 2010)
Rental laws elsewhere encourage planners
By SUE REID
Members of the Solon planning commission shared final thoughts last week on a proposed rental-occupancy-permit ordinance, noting the success of similar legislation in other communities.
Councilwoman and commission member Toni M. Richmond said she spoke to a City Council member from Cleveland Heights who said a rental-occupancy-permit ordinance there has been working well.
"It is an effective tool to control who is living in Cleveland Heights," Ms. Richmond said. The council member told her that there was some resistance going into implementing such legislation, but, once it was in place, it proved to be successful, she said.
Commission members committed to passing on a recommendation to City Council on the ordinance by its Aug. 24 meeting. Currently, the city has no regulations with regards to the interior inspection of rental properties.
"I'm somebody who was somewhat opposed to this, but, after talking to my constituents," she has changed her position, Ms. Richmond said. "I care more about the people who live in Solon and want to live in a nice community than I care if this ordinance is an inconvenience to renters."
Ms. Richmond said the city has a responsibility to citizens to preserve the properties in the community. The proposed ordinance is a step in that direction, she said.
"It gives us the opportunity to look at areas that may be problematic," Ms. Richmond said. "Some type of legislation is warranted, and, at this point in time, I would support it."
Commission member Roger C. Newberry said Solon needs to "stay ahead of the curve" with the issue. Inner-ring suburbs have a rental-occupancy permit across the board, and now it's moving to the outer-ring suburbs, he said.
"I would like to see Solon ahead of the curve and have something in place," Mr. Newberry said. He grew up in Cleveland Heights, and neighbors were dead set against regulations for rentals, but it is now a "great success," he said.
Commission member George K. Hrabak said the city must identify rental properties and come up with a rental-occupancy disclosure form, which includes the name of the property owner, even if that person is out of state.
"We also need to know who would enforce violations mainly in the interior of the house," Mr. Hrabak said. In addition, he said, the city needs something in place if there is a change of owner or change of occupancy.
It is important that there be registration of all rental properties, commission member William M. Mazur said, and that the renters be listed on an application.
This will give neighbors a "fair opportunity" to know who is living next to them, Mr. Mazur said.
Ms. Richmond said Solon needs to know who is living in the properties to be able to hold someone accountable when something occurs.
Mr. Mazur said he's not in favor of recommending interior inspections at this point. "First, we need to get registration in place," he said.
"If we don't do some sort of inspection, I don't know if the whole ordinance would serve any purpose," Ms. Richmond said.
Mayor Susan A. Drucker, a member of the planning commission, said that, at the next meeting, commission members should go through the entire ordinance and give recommendations on each point.
Solon Planning Director Robert S. Frankland said he will walk them through the ordinance.
"This will force us to revisit this ordinance in great detail," Mrs. Drucker said.
"If I can do something to preserve the integrity of neighborhoods, and if a rental-occupancy law can do this, I'm all for it," Ms. Richmond said.
"The message I've been hearing is that we need a starting point," Mrs. Drucker said.
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