Post by Fed Up on Oct 11, 2006 12:25:55 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2006/1011/Front_page/014.html
Code dept. taking close look at rental properties
Initial inspections lead to 3 violations for overcrowding
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
News Transcript
October 11, 2006
FREEHOLD - At least 30 rental properties have been cited with violations - including three locations cited for overcrowding - in the borough's first round of rental property inspections.
Mayor Michael Wilson said "the initial results (of the property inspections) are promising."
The goal of the newly launched inspection plan is to make sure all one-family and two-family rental properties in the borough are the way they are supposed to be - safe and livable, according to Code Enforcement Official Hank Stryker III.
The code enforcement department's Quality of Life Team has determined that in order to ensure the health and safety of the public, including tenants in unsafe housing units, "it is necessary and proper to develop a property inspection plan through which every residential rental property in the borough is inspected."
Inspections are being conducted on a street-by-street basis in alphabetical order.
Code inspectors focus on safety and are looking for problems and/or issues with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors, unsafe wiring and overloaded outlets/extension cords.
According to Stryker, inspectors will also examine the safety of porches and stairs and make sure exits are not blocked. All windows must be able to open. Unsanitary conditions and painting will also be addressed. The inspection process will also make certain all landlords have a proper certificate of occupancy for their tenants.
The ability to legally perform these inspections falls under the borough's landlord property registration program, according to Stryker.
The rental inspection plan is a part of the borough's Quality of Life program and, according to Wilson, the purpose is obvious.
"We are holding absentee landlords completely accountable to provide safe rental housing that does not overcrowd. In other words, we want these out-of-town landlords to respect our town, as we would theirs," Wilson said.
The code enforcement rental property report lists 35 inspections performed between July 13 and Sept. 28. Although some properties were listed as "no violations, apartment up to par," the majority of the inspections turned up violations such as repairs needed and garbage and debris on property. Also on the report were three summonses issued for residential overcrowding and repairs (one home on Bannard Street and two homes on Bond Street), and one summons for renting without a certificate of occupancy.
"We're being proactive," Stryker said. "The inspection program has been very successful. We will continue to do this to keep our residents safe and protected."
Stryker said he is hoping landlords will take notice of the program and make certain their properties are "up to par."
The Quality of Life program was implemented in 2002 and has evolved into a full-time code enforcement operation with four trained full-time individuals who cover a 13-hour daily period. The borough has added five police officers and a special court session to handle the violations.
According to Wilson, "our successes have been steady and can be measured with the revenue generated in the court. Since the first special session in September 2002, we have convicted violators ... with the assessment of fines that total over $454,000."
The efforts to control residential overcrowding and to monitor rental properties continued when borough officials instituted a new phase of the Quality of Life program by implementing the landlord registration program in 2003.
This annual fee-driven program allows the borough to license and track all rental properties. According to Wilson, this, too, has helped to improve the housing stock in Freehold Borough and has even assisted the code enforcement department's operation to closely monitor "troubled" properties.
Code dept. taking close look at rental properties
Initial inspections lead to 3 violations for overcrowding
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
News Transcript
October 11, 2006
FREEHOLD - At least 30 rental properties have been cited with violations - including three locations cited for overcrowding - in the borough's first round of rental property inspections.
Mayor Michael Wilson said "the initial results (of the property inspections) are promising."
The goal of the newly launched inspection plan is to make sure all one-family and two-family rental properties in the borough are the way they are supposed to be - safe and livable, according to Code Enforcement Official Hank Stryker III.
The code enforcement department's Quality of Life Team has determined that in order to ensure the health and safety of the public, including tenants in unsafe housing units, "it is necessary and proper to develop a property inspection plan through which every residential rental property in the borough is inspected."
Inspections are being conducted on a street-by-street basis in alphabetical order.
Code inspectors focus on safety and are looking for problems and/or issues with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors, unsafe wiring and overloaded outlets/extension cords.
According to Stryker, inspectors will also examine the safety of porches and stairs and make sure exits are not blocked. All windows must be able to open. Unsanitary conditions and painting will also be addressed. The inspection process will also make certain all landlords have a proper certificate of occupancy for their tenants.
The ability to legally perform these inspections falls under the borough's landlord property registration program, according to Stryker.
The rental inspection plan is a part of the borough's Quality of Life program and, according to Wilson, the purpose is obvious.
"We are holding absentee landlords completely accountable to provide safe rental housing that does not overcrowd. In other words, we want these out-of-town landlords to respect our town, as we would theirs," Wilson said.
The code enforcement rental property report lists 35 inspections performed between July 13 and Sept. 28. Although some properties were listed as "no violations, apartment up to par," the majority of the inspections turned up violations such as repairs needed and garbage and debris on property. Also on the report were three summonses issued for residential overcrowding and repairs (one home on Bannard Street and two homes on Bond Street), and one summons for renting without a certificate of occupancy.
"We're being proactive," Stryker said. "The inspection program has been very successful. We will continue to do this to keep our residents safe and protected."
Stryker said he is hoping landlords will take notice of the program and make certain their properties are "up to par."
The Quality of Life program was implemented in 2002 and has evolved into a full-time code enforcement operation with four trained full-time individuals who cover a 13-hour daily period. The borough has added five police officers and a special court session to handle the violations.
According to Wilson, "our successes have been steady and can be measured with the revenue generated in the court. Since the first special session in September 2002, we have convicted violators ... with the assessment of fines that total over $454,000."
The efforts to control residential overcrowding and to monitor rental properties continued when borough officials instituted a new phase of the Quality of Life program by implementing the landlord registration program in 2003.
This annual fee-driven program allows the borough to license and track all rental properties. According to Wilson, this, too, has helped to improve the housing stock in Freehold Borough and has even assisted the code enforcement department's operation to closely monitor "troubled" properties.