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Boardman trustees approve new landlord registry
BOARDMAN
Landlords of properties in the township now will have to register with the township and pay an annual fee, starting in January.
They also will be subject to periodic inspections by the zoning department.
Township trustees voted unanimously at a meeting Monday to approve a resolution aimed at improving rental standards.
Zoning Inspector Sarah Gartland developed the program after dealing with issues with rental properties and not being able to contact the property owners, she said. Landlords now will have to give the township contact information.
The program will cost landlords $40 per rental unit. The cost for property owners who own more than six units is $150, plus $15 per unit. The fees will be used to cover the costs of the program, which include the salary for one staff person, yearly mailings, abatement of nuisances and legal fees if any cases end up in court, according to Gartland.
“We wouldn’t be asking them to do it if we didn’t think it was something that’s fair,” Gartland said of the fee.
She said the plan was developed over time with input from landlords.
One of the main goals of the program is to get Boardman’s 4,000-plus rental properties to meet basic living standards, Gartland said.
The resolution requires rental units to have structurally sound floors, ceilings and walls, working toilets, running water and working heating and electrical systems, among other things.
It requires rental units to be free of broken or cracked windows and insects, rodents and pests.
The resolution also requires tenants to adhere to certain standards, such as properly maintaining the equipment, appliances and fixtures and keeping all plumbing fixtures in a clean and sanitary condition, among other things.
Gartland will host an open house at the township zoning office, 8299 Market St., from 5 to 7 p.m. today and Thursday, at which residents can ask questions about the landlord-registration program and other zoning issues.