Jeannette officials consider rental law revisions

Jeannette officials are considering an updated ordinance governing rental properties and are seeking candidates for a full-time code enforcement officer position.

Council on Wednesday approved the advertising of an ordinance that would enact biennial inspections of rental properties.

Council voted to advertise the code enforcement officer position. That person will handle all inspections, licensing and violations under the proposed ordinance.

The city employs a part-time code enforcement officer.

“This ordinance is well past due,” Mayor Richard Jacobelli said.

Council discussed the proposed ordinance during a work session Monday.

The plan would impose regulations on property owners who have rental units, including:

• A local manager must be designated by property owners who live beyond 25 miles of the city's limits.

• Information must be provided to the city, including names of tenants and upon a change in occupancy.

• The landlord is responsible for occupant behavior. Council has the right to direct an owner to evict a tenant if certain violation criteria are met.

• Tenants must be provided with a copy of the most recent code inspection report.

“I think this city needs the uniformity of a biennial inspection,” said Solicitor Scott Avolio, who prepared the ordinance. “I don't think the current (ordinance) ... is being enforced properly.”

Violations would be considered a summary offense punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or 30 days in jail.

The city requires inspections with a tenant change or new ownership, said fire Chief Joe Matijevic, who makes the checks in addition to the part-time code officer. But that can be a problem if the property owner doesn't notify the city.

“We had problems with overcrowding of apartments and” transient tenants, he said.

Matijevic is opposed to the proposed biennial inspections, because the two-year stretch could allow properties to fall out of code, he said.

Avolio contended that it is “unlikely, but possible” that would happen.

Matijevic suggested that inspections be conducted after a change in tenancy, in addition to the proposed biennial checks. He supported other facets of the proposed ordinance, including providing names of tenants and streamlining the system under one department.

“It's been years since I've wanted to do it the right way,” he said. “I'm glad we're talking about it.”

Community development coordinator Diana Reitz said information gleaned about the city's rental properties through the ordinance could be used to establish a database that would enable city officials to better track violators or problem properties.

“We could actually mark those hot spots on a map,” Reitz said. “That's how you tackle your blight. The vital thing is to put those ordinances in place.”

The full-time code enforcement officer position could be paid in part by a state grant that the city is investigating, Jacobelli said. The position is included in the 2015 budget at a salary of $50,000.

In other business, council approved the resignation of city manager Bruce Jamison, who had been in the position for about six months. Jamison submitted his resignation Monday, citing “personal reasons.”

Council awarded a reconstruction project on Clay Avenue to lowest bidder A. Liberoni Inc. of Plum for $209,155.10. The project will involve the removal of bricks from Clay Avenue between First and Second streets and resurfacing of the road, Reitz said.

Renatta Signorini is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-837-5374 or rsignorini@tribweb.com.