Rental Inspection Ordinances – A Great Tool
A rental inspection ordinance that involves licensing landlords is a very effective tool in keeping property from falling into disrepair or worse. It’s one of the best ways to keep a lid on crime in a multi-family building. While many landlords oppose it at the beginning, successful ones eventually are won over as they see that negligent landlords have to raise their rents because they have to spend money on repairs. This takes away a competitive edge that they have had since they didn’t spend money on normal maintenance. Tenants benefit because they don’t have to be afraid of getting evicted if they complain about conditions as the local jurisdiction’s inspectors identify problem areas. It’s unfortunate that in Illinois, a local jurisdiction needs to be a home rule community to enact a rental licensing ordinance. There has been legislation proposed to allow all communities to pass these types of ordinances and I hope it becomes law someday. It would make my efforts so much effective to have this option when addressing crime ridden housing.
