Campbell mayor welcomes residents’ wish lists for new year

A proposed landlord registration fee is being considered, Mayor Krinos said.

Staff Report

CAMPBELL — Mayor George Krinos spent some time after Christmas talking with residents about their wish lists for the city.

Krinos had an informal meeting Monday night with those concerned about a proposed landlord registration fee and other issues.

The mayor said a monthly informal meeting with the people is written into the city’s charter.

Krinos sought input from landlords as legislation is still pending.

He had suggested requiring landlords with properties in the city pay an annual registration fee of $1,000 per unit.

A portion of the money would go toward funding loans for people to put down payments on homes.

The fees would be deferred for 10 years before converting to grants, which wouldn’t require repayment.

The overall goal, Krinos said, is to promote homeownership in the city.

When asked what the city had to offer prospective homeowners, the mayor admitted there is not much.

But the hope is that a loan for a down payment will act as an incentive to draw people to the city, he added.

About 20 people attended the open forum and weighed in on the issue.

Though some voiced concern over the proposed fee, others offered suggestions, including offering tax incentives to those who purchased vacant homes.

Other issues discussed included water costs and the condition of the city’s roads.