The Montpelier solution:
AN ACT RELATING TO ESTABLISHING A STATEWIDE RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY, SAFETY, AND HABITABILITY OF RENTAL HOUSING IN VERMONT
Some highlights:
… statewide rental unit program to be administered by the department for the purposes of collecting and maintaining data about rental housing units in Vermont and providing education, training, and support to landlords and tenants to assure that the safety and habitability of rental housing is maintained for the benefit of owners, tenants, and communities. The fund will provide financing for scheduled, complaint-based and emergency inspections of rental housing units, the enforcement of orders issued in conjunction with inspections, and enhancing communications among owners, tenants, and compliance personnel.
requires owners to pay an annual registration fee for each rental housing unit and provide basic information about each rental unit. The annual registration fee shall be $50.00 per unit per year for the first three years of the program; thereafter, the fee shall be set by the commissioner at an amount sufficient to pay for the program
The following positions are authorized in the department of public safety in fiscal year 2008:
(1) One (1) program director, full-time, exempt.
(2) Three (3) administrative assistant, full-time, classified.
(3) One (1) staff attorney, full-time, exempt.
(4) One-quarter (1/4) systems developer, part-time, exempt.
(5) One (1) education and technical assistance specialist, full-time, exempt.
(6) Four (4) housing inspector, full-time, classified.
Sounds more like a jobs program to us.
This is just wonderful. As a landlord, I can't wait to pay the state to help me "enhance communication" with my tenants. Actually, the costs of the program will simply be passed on to my tenants through rent increases. I'm sure they'll be thrilled.
I'm very fortunate to have wonderful tenants; I do everything I can for them. This program won't improve a thing; rather the opposite, I fear.
Posted by: Jon Harrison | January 28, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Pass th costs on and be sure to let the tenants know why.
Posted by: Lazarus Long | January 28, 2008 at 11:21 AM
We have apartment inspections all the time where I live now. Don't all communities do this or am I wrong in assuming that?
Posted by: Mister Guy | January 28, 2008 at 12:45 PM
The state does indeed do inspections already. What we see in the original post is that some of our elected officials have had a brainstorm. I can tell you from long experience that this proposal, if enacted, will be just one more vehicle to pad the public payroll. The principal effect will be to raise rents. I understand rental housing is already in short supply in Vermont. Under this proposal, it'll be more expensive, too.
Posted by: Jon Harrison | January 28, 2008 at 01:05 PM