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REGULAR MEETING May 9, 2016 accountable for their properties and if this bill helps that situation then it is a good bill. It is ridiculous that realtors are complaining about this because these landlords are dragging down home values. The Council can help change this situation and make landlords responsible for their properties. Mr. Bennick suggested taking the money from fines and penalties and hiring more police officers. Jason Banicki Critchlow, 3822 West Ford St., stated this is an ordinance which is easy for him to support. The bill will help improve the quality of life for residents in South Bend. A five ($5) dollar fee to register properties will not raise rent costs. Let's not confuse that issue with the ability to track down landlords. It is not just the fees and fines it is how they are enforced so lets not confuse those issues. This bill lets us hold people accountable who are bad neighbors and bad landlords. It is a small percentage, maybe five percent (5) to ten percent (10), of bad landlords in South Bend and we need to hold them accountable. If we can't find the people who own the nuisance properties then how do we enforce that ordinance. It's not a lot to ask of those who are going to profit off of rented properties to put their name and contact information and have them admit they want to be a productive part of the community. It is easy to hear the frustration of these neighborhoods who live by these bad rental properties and this is a tool to make those neighborhoods better. It may not be perfect, but don't let perfection be the enemy of progress. Fred Ferlic, 1128 Georgiana South Bend IN, stated those two women who expressed their anguish can speak much more eloquently than he can because they spoke from their heart. His experience with Code Enforcement shows that this will be an immense improvement in South Bend and that's what we have to measure. It certainly cannot hurt the situation that we currently have. The landlords who are here, who care about this City, do not have to worry about this ordinance. There are six (6) reasons Bill 12 -16 should be passed by the Council. First, landlords have an obligation to the more vulnerable in our City. Second, it is a just and fair bill and the councilmembers can make sure it is enforced fairly by working with Code Enforcement. As a councilmember he resolved a number of cases just by working with Code Enforcement and having positive communication. Third, the fines are fair and reasonable. A speeding ticket now costs over $200 and that's certainly not as big of a problem as sub - standard housing and sub- optimal living conditions. Fourth, the time is now to enact this ordinance with summer coming up. These landlords need to take responsibility for the conditions of these homes. Fifth, this centralizes the data. As a councilmember he spent an immense amount of time going to the Treasurer's Office, Auditor's Office, Assessor's Office and even went to the Water Department to try to track down who owns a particular house and that is extremely inefficient. Lastly, this will create an effective system and hold accountable both the renters and the landlords and the City Administration. This bill will lead to better neighborhoods and a better South Bend. Timothy Leszynski, 617 Park Avenue South Bend, spoke in support of the bill and represented the Chapin Park Historic District. At its core, this bill levels the playing field in promoting the same property standards and accountability from owner occupied dwellings. It will promote a reduction in maintenance violations by property holders who lie in the shadows and cast their bets to avoid violations or make necessary repairs. The bill should not mischaracterize the vast majority of property holders who manage their investment in our community responsibly. This proposed legislation and fee does not impose an undue burden. Regulation and contact accessibility are to be expected if any standards are ever to be managed. He commended the Council for beginning a dialogue and strategy which addresses a long time concern for its citizens. Complimentary resolutions and additional amendments can be passed as well to perfect the legislation. It would be prudent to withdraw any recognition of the Human Rights Commission support of the bill until they submit a formal resolution in support or against the bill. Barbara Sutton, 528 Ostemo South Bend and President of the North Shore Triangle Neighborhood Association, their group has talked about this bill and similar bills for several years. She was a part of the group that met regarding landlords and tenants starting five (5) years ago. They support this ordinance and the biggest points that have come out of this discussion tonight are the importance of communication between landlords and the City. Also, as an account Ms. Sutton expressed her concern about the cost and time that public services expend in tracking down landlords. This is not a problem for the landlords here tonight who are clearly 11