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CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK
<br /> Ms. Fritzberg stated, Correct me if I'm wrong, Councilmember, but part of what you're trying to
<br /> clarify is what the current state is. What are we doing right now? Right now, as I understand it,
<br /> each occupant, each unit would have to call. We don't have the authority to go into any interior
<br /> space unless we receive a call from the tenant from that space.
<br /> Councilmember Williams-Preston clarified, So, under this, you would then now have the ability
<br /> to, if one(1)person called and suspected there were others, you could then go into others.
<br /> Ms. Johns confirmed,Yes.
<br /> Councilmember Williams-Preston followed up, So, if we pass this on Monday, how soon could
<br /> we be putting a focus on some of these large housing units? Or would we even? They might not
<br /> be in the Census Tract. Let's say you get a complaint, how soon can you get in there and start
<br /> inspecting all of those rooms?
<br /> Ms. Johns replied, We are thinking March is when we will be able to start doing inspections.
<br /> Ms. Fritzberg stated, And if we are talking about prioritization, right now there is a geographic
<br /> prioritization.It sounds like one(1)idea you have is to look at the size of a property and the number
<br /> of units to prioritize, and we are certainly open to having that dialogue about what might be most
<br /> appropriate.
<br /> Councilmember Tim Scott arrived at the meeting at 6:24 p.m.
<br /> Committeemember Voorde stated, Let's say whatever triggered the inspection, the inspection is
<br /> done, you found something in non-compliance, you notify the landlord that something has to be
<br /> remedied. How long do they have to do it?
<br /> Ms. Johns replied, There is an inspection that has to occur every sixty (60) days but if it is
<br /> something really minor that they can get done quickly, we would come back sooner.
<br /> Committeemember Voorde followed up, And if it's not done, the fines kick in?
<br /> Ms. Johns replied, Yes. If we keep going out, they get charged for the re-inspections after the first
<br /> (1st).
<br /> Committeemember Voorde stated, I have to confess, in this term on the City Council, I've only
<br /> been to one(1) Code Enforcement hearing and that was for,unfortunately,the Washington/Colfax
<br /> Apartments. By all descriptions, they were non-habitable. But I went to the hearing, which was in
<br /> the spring, but the official ruling was they had until November to fix that up. So, they had six (6)
<br /> months to do this. Sometimes now when something has to be fixed, the non-good citizen landlord
<br /> will say, Well, I'm working on it. Or they say they've done half of it so they get more time. It just
<br /> seems this is a cumbersome inspection program to get into compliance while in the meantime, if
<br /> there is a disincentive and it becomes so cumbersome,well,let me back up. First(1St)of all, I agree
<br /> everybody ought to have clean and affordable housing. But, you have to think of the landlord,too,
<br /> sometimes. Sometimes it is legitimate. You can easily say, well, if you can't do it, you shouldn't
<br /> be in the business. Well, it's not that simple I don't think. As I'm sitting here I'm thinking, God,
<br /> how are we going to do this? Is it going to work?
<br /> EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT
<br /> 455 County-City Building 227 W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 I p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 1TD 574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov
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