13 - Property Management Ordinance revisions

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Item No. 13 TO: Mayor & Council FROM: John Godwin, City Manager SUBJECT: PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE DATE: August 1, 2019 BACKGROUND: The city council approved a property maintenance ordinance in July 2018 to address a few very basic minimum standards for single family rental properties, including failing roofs, failing foundations, dangerous electricity or gas, no functioning water or sewer, no windows, and no doors. To date, we have directly utilized the new ordinance in a number of instances, successfully working seventeen cases that removed renters, occupants, or squatters from very dangerous structures. At the same time, we have received numerous complaints about owner -occupied residential single family dwellings, but these are not covered by this ordinance. Concerns include mold, holes in sheetrock, damaged roof gutters, broken AC units, damaged foundations, poor drainage, lack of paint, rust, etc. STATUS OF ISSUE: Now that a year has elapsed, and in response to discussions at the June council work session, we are looking at the possibility of expanding the ordinance in two ways. First, broaden its scope to also address all single family homes, including owner -occupied structures. We have less direct authority to invoke some enforcement tools on these properties, but such structures still need to be addressed, and as early as possible before they become un - savable. Second, we believe it wise to consider expanding the types of violations that we can attack. These might include: weatherproofing, flashing, gutters, roof drains, overhangs, exterior wood and metal surfaces, masonry joints and siding, insect and/or rodent infestation, substandard fencing, and vegetation that penetrates constructed surfaces. All of these changes would address the integrity of the actual structure, and the most important thing we can do with this ordinance is save structures from becoming so bad they must be destroyed and further damage our neighborhoods. In the attachment, existing code is in black text and proposes changes are in blue. BUDGET: NA. RECOMMENDATION: Discussion only.