Little Rock City Board passes ordinance aimed at holding landlords more accountable
The Little Rock Board of Directors passed an ordinance and set of resolutions aimed at keeping landlords more accountable. The Little Rock Board of Directors has passed an ordinance aimed at holding landlords more accountable. The ordinance, which applies to all multifamily dwellings in the city, allows the city to impose liens or fines on problem properties. It was met with opposition from other city directors, who wanted more input from community members before the vote. Two other resolutions were passed that focus on educating renters on their rights and making them easier to find on the city’s website. However, there is no emergency clause on this law so it won't take effect immediately.
Pubblicato : 10 mesi fa di Caroline Derby in Business
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Little Rock Board of Directors passed an ordinance and set of resolutions aimed at keeping landlords more accountable.
The ordinance was met with some opposition from other city directors who wanted more input from community members before the vote took place. However, they moved forward.
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According to city director Antwan Phillips, who proposed the ordinance, the ordinance works within the confines of state law.
The ordinance applies to all multifamily dwellings in the city. With this ordinance, officials said the city can take on the cost of fixing issues and impose liens or fines against problem properties.
Housing and neighborhood programs already do quarterly inspections of properties and report back to the city board. If an apartment does not meet city code, the city board can issue an order against the landlord and properties.
“We can place a lien on your property, we will get attorney fees for the effort expended, and we will get a 10% collection fee for the efforts we did to bring that building up to code, and it allows us if we so choose to foreclose on those different buildings,” Phillips said.
Proposal aims to improve renter’s rights in Little Rock
Neil Sealy with Arkansas Community Organizations advocates for renters. He said this is a stepping stone and more needs to be done.
“I think that that’s a good step, but it’s not sufficient. There is so much more that needs to be done,” Sealy said.
the enforcement aspect of this was a topic of discussion, with some people in attendance encouraging the city that now since the ordinance has passed, to follow through with the enforcement.
Two other resolutions were passed that deal with educating renters on their rights and making those rights easier to find, including putting a list of rights on the city’s website.
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There is not an emergency clause on this, so it won’t take effect immediately.
Phillips said that policies with other organizations have to be updated to meet the ordinance, but that enforcement should happen soon.
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