HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/12/2004 - RENTAL LICENSING ALTERNATIVES DATE: October 12, 2004 STUDY SESSION ITEM
STAFF: Darin Atteberry, FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
Steve Roy and Tess Heffernan
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Rental Licensing Alternatives.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. Does Council wish to proceed with the package of alternatives outlined in this document?
2. What feedback is Council seeking from citizens from this point forward?
BACKGROUND
At the April 27,2004 City Council Study Session Council members discussed a number of new and
ongoing initiatives designed to have a positive impact on the quality of life in Fort Collins
neighborhoods. At the conclusion of that discussion,Council directed staff to continue those efforts
and also explore mandatory residential rental licensing. Specifically, Council instructed staff to
develop an ordinance and related standards for Council consideration, look at variables to find the
best "fit" for Fort Collins, and ask the community for input on the potential licensing variables.
Since then, members of the original Neighborhood Quality of Life team and other staff have
conducted research into"best practices"in other communities with the goal of finding components
that could work well in Fort Collins. Additionally, the team has carried out a fairly extensive
outreach program designed to gain input from specific stakeholder groups and the community at
large.
Community Outreach and Feedback
A variety of methods were used to gain community feedback on the subject of rental licensing. And
as most Council members have learned,many citizens have a great deal of passion for this subject.
Over 1,200 responses have been received in the past 3 months alone.
Meetings were held with a variety of stakeholder groups, including landlords, property managers,
neighbors, affordable housing specialists and CSU students. Additionally, a public meeting held
August 30, 2004 drew between 250-275 participants. One-on-one dialogues took place through
email, letters and phone calls. The City's website was utilized not only to provide information,but
to provide the opportunity for participants to fill out a survey and attach any comments they wished.
(We acknowledge that many citizens were unhappy about the format of the survey and regret this
was the case.) A City News article was included in 60,000 utility bills, Cable 27 and traditional
news media were used to inform people about the topic, and surveys and fliers were distributed at
Neighborhood Night Out and other community events.
October 12, 2004 Page 2
A summary of feedback received from citizens is included in Attachment A. Council members have
received much of this information as it has been collected;however,complete copies of all feedback
are available for further review if desired.
There is a great deal of polarization in the community surrounding the issue of rental licensing. As
might be expected,many landlords and property managers believe it to be bureaucratic,costly and
ineffective. On the opposite view, many neighbors of rentals feel rental licensing will prevent the
further deterioration of their neighborhoods.
The community dialogue surfaced a number of key issues surrounding rental licensing. In the
broadest sense, many stakeholders question the ultimate goal of rental licensing: is it designed to
improve the health and safety of tenants, address nuisance behaviors, or both? In any case, the
following reasons for or against rental licensing were cited.
Those in favor believe rental licensing is needed because:
• The quality of life in many single family neighborhoods is deteriorating at a rapid rate;
something must be done
• A rental property is a business and should be licensed as such
• Neighbors and the City are being forced to take on role of property manager
• Landlords should be held accountable for the condition of and activities at their
properties
• Licensing is one way to help enforce existing ordinances
Those opposed believe rental licensing is not a solution because:
• It is a misperception that landlords can control tenant behavior;rental licensing will not
have an impact nuisance behaviors
• These types of laws are intrusive and an infringement on the rights of property owners
• The cost of housing will increase; transitional and lower-income residents need a place
to reside at a reasonable cost and this will make rents rise
• A small percentage of property owners/managers cause problems and there is no
justification for additional burdens on good owners/managers/tenants
The following chart shows how rental property owners/managers and neighbors of rental property
answered the question, "Overall, are you in favor of rental licensing?" Tenants and other
stakeholders were fairly evenly split in their support.
On a more positive note, there are three areas where the majority of respondents are in agreement:
1. The current ordinance limiting occupancy to three-unrelated adults is not effective. It
exacerbates problems because it is very difficult to enforce in its current form. This leads
to deception and a perception that laws can be ignored.
2. Laws that are on the books need to be enforced,especially those surrounding nuisance issues
(most commonly noise, parking and property upkeep). Both those against and in favor of
licensing want to prevent neighborhood deterioration and want the City to increase its
enforcement efforts.
3. More education of tenants, landlords and neighbors is needed. One tool frequently
mentioned in regards to tenants is that of a lease addendum outlining the various City codes
and expectations of tenants. This is discussed in more detail later in this document.
October 12, 2004 Page 3
Options for Council Consideration
In addition to the feedback outlined above, members of the project team have spent a great deal of
time delving into how other cities use rental licensing or other methods to address neighborhood
quality of life issues. The City Attorney's Office alone has examined 19 codes from other
communities and 7 state statutes. (A matrix outlining many of those communities and related
regulations was provided to Council at the April 27, 2004 Study Session.)
After much analysis of the numerous recommendations and research surrounding this subject, the
project team recommends Council adopt a"package" of five components that, when implemented
together, can ultimately address the majority of issues and concerns:
1. Amend the three-unrelated ordinance
2. Create a licensing process for units that can safely accommodate more than three
unrelated adults
3. Amend the Public Nuisance Ordinance to include the potential for revoking the
ability to rent
4. Implement a mandatory rental registration program (either city-wide or in targeted
areas)
5. Add a Nuisance Gatherings provision to the current code
A detailed discussion of each of these components follows.
1. Amend the three-unrelated ordinance
The three-unrelated ordinance can be amended to make it a civil infraction and thus lower the
burden of proof and expand the kinds of evidence that can be offered in court. Project team
members believe this will enable the City to more effectively enforce this code. Some level of
neighborhood involvement will still be required for effective enforcement. The proposed changes
would include the following:
a. The occupancy limit provision would be removed from the zoning code and rewritten in a more
straightforward fashion. "Occupied" would be defined, and "dwelling unit," `owner" and
"family" would be redefined.
b. A violation of this provision would be made a civil infraction punishable by a fine only, rather
than a misdemeanor criminal offense with a possible jail sentence. This would: (a) lower the
burden of proof (from proof beyond a reasonable doubt to proof by a preponderance of the
evidence); (b) allow the prosecution to call the defendant(s) to the witness stand; (c) relax the
rules of evidence; (d)allow cases to be heard by a hearing officer to avoid a substantial increase
in the Municipal Court caseload.
c. Upon receipt of substantiated complaints investigators would: (a) contact the occupants and
inspect the premises, (b) check the license numbers of cars regularly parked in front of the
premises against Department of Motor Vehicles records to see who owns the vehicles,(c)and/or
seek information from the Postal Service as to who receives mail at the premises in question.
October 12, 2004 Page 4
d. If the investigation indicated a violation,then the tenants,owners and property managers would
all be cited for the violation. Upon conviction,fines would be assessed against each defendant.
Fines would increase for subsequent violations.
Additional staff will be needed in order to effectively investigate, gather needed evidence and
prosecute this revised ordinance. Details on those costs, which are estimated at$25,000 one-time
and$80,000 ongoing, are included in component#2, which follows.
2. Create a licensing process for units that can safely accommodate more than three
unrelated adults
If the three-unrelated law is effectively enforced, many renters currently living in units with more
than three adults will need to find alternative housing. At the same time,there are units throughout
the City that can safely and effectively house more than three adults. Therefore,in combination with
better enforcement of the three-unrelated law,project team members recommend the City create a
licensing process for units that can safely house more than three unrelated adults. Conditions for
receiving a license would include the following:
a. The unit must pass a mandatory inspection to ensure existing rental housing standards are
met,and to determine the maximum occupancy allowed based on conforming bedrooms and
other requirements
b. Accommodations for off-street parking must be met
c. The owner must have a record of no or a minimum number of previous code violations at
that address
d. Tenants must sign and the owner keep on file a lease addendum or some type of information
disclosure and acknowledgement form that summarizes City codes. This addendum could
also be used to document the license number of the residents' vehicles and other information
as desired. An example lease addendum is included in Attachment B as an illustration.
Repeated nuisance violations must be avoided in order to maintain the license. Cumulative penalties
for failing to operate in accordance with the license would include fine, suspension and revocation
of license. Failure to obtain a license would be a misdemeanor punishable in Municipal Court; the
City would first have to prove that there are more than three unrelated adults living in a unit before
issuing a citation for not obtaining a license.
Affordable housing providers who are subject to federal requirements would be exempted from this
ordinance, as would other specified uses such as safehouses, Hospice and the like. Any use
exempted from these requirements would be specifically listed in the ordinance. Owner-occupied
units would not be exempted, because if they were, a parent could purchase a home for a student
who, in turn, could rent rooms out to more than two other people.
It is worth noting that if the three-unrelated law is enforced without an alternative such as this, it is
highly likely that more homes will become rentals, many of them in single family neighborhoods
throughout the city.
Some have suggested a Rental Licensing Board be created to approve each license and hear appeals.
A more common structure used by many communities is that of administrative staff who approve
a license based on pre-determined standards,and a Rental Licensing Board who hears appeals. This
October 12, 2004 Page 5
aspect of the program will be researched in more depth and developed after further direction from
Council.
The costs for this program are based on an estimated 3,000 single family and duplex units that could
potentially apply for a license:
Total program cost: $210,000
Includes 3.2 FTE (compliance inspection and administrative staff) and overhead costs
— Total fee per unit: $80 - $90 annually
3. Amend the Public Nuisance Ordinance to include the potential for revoking the ability
to rent
Currently, the maximum penalty for violation of the Public Nuisance Ordinance (PNO) is that of
a court order requiring action to be taken to abate the nuisance plus cost recovery. The project team
recommends the PNO be amended so that the ultimate penalty would include a court order revoking
the ability to rent a property. This change would represent a natural evolution of the PNO which,
at Council direction, was originally used to educate property owners about violations. A "zero
tolerance" philosophy has since resulted in an increase in the use of this tool,especially during the
past year. This change to the PNO, in tandem with a mandatory rental registration program
(outlined below), would in many ways have the same impact on nuisance behaviors as a more
traditional licensing program without the cost or complexity and without adding more ordinances
and new requirements.
4. Implement a mandatory rental registration program
The team recommends that the City implement a mandatory rental registration system to obtain
information regarding the identity of owners, occupants and any local management agent. This
program could be applied city-wide or in certain targeted areas where there are a higher
concentration of nuisance violations, depending on Council's preference.
Some argue that the City does not need a registration program because owner information needed
to enforce the nuisance provisions of the City code is already available through the County
Assessor's database and, in some cases, through the City's Utility records. While it is true that the
City can identify and contact the majority of property owners, there are shortcomings in existing
processes and resources that a registration requirement could help with.
Registration would shorten the period of time generally needed to identify the property owners and
provide more reliable, current information. The hope is that this program could be accomplished
online and include elements such as:
a. The name of a local contact person who has been authorized by an absentee property owner
(who might otherwise be unresponsive) to accept notices and service of process
b. Names of tenants, either on file or available at the request of the City; this information would
be helpful in either citing tenants as well as the property owners for certain kinds of violations
and in investigating and prosecuting any occupancy limit violations
c. Confirmation that a mandatory lease addendum orinformation and disclosure statement has been
signed by tenants (as described earlier).
October 12, 2004 Page 6
An added benefit and potential consequence of a mandatory registration program is that many illegal
units, such as single family units that have been converted to duplexes,will be identified over time.
Some units, such as apartment complexes with on-site managers, would have fewer reporting
requirements. This program would be a large undertaking and details should be developed with
input from stakeholders,especially those most directly affected. The project team recommends an
ad hoc group that includes representatives of rental property owners, managers, tenants and
neighbors be formed for the purpose of determining the specific elements of a registration program.
The cost of a registration program would be assessed per building rather than per unit. Anticipated
costs for a rental registration program are:
First 1-2 years: $420,000-7 FTE,space,equipment,database development,software licensing and
overhead. This includes contractual employees to get the program up and cunning and ongoing
administration of the program, including prosecuting violations.
Remaining years: $120,000 - $240,000 annually, depending on the details of the program, i.e. the
amount of information required and how frequently updated.
Total cost per building: $35 - $45 for first time registration; $10 - $20 per year for renewal
5. Add a Nuisance Gatherings provision to the current code
A final tool,a Nuisance Gatherings code addition,is based on an existing ordinance in East Lansing,
Michigan. This ordinance addresses social gatherings or parties which result in a variety of nuisance
behaviors occurring on neighboring properties. It also has a provision for recouping costs to the
City in regards to overtime of Police, Streets or other expenses and holds the owner, occupant,
tenant or others having any"possessory control'accountable. A copy of that ordinance is included
Attachment C.
Another section of the East Lansing code deals specifically with litter left following a large event
and a faster process for abating that nuisance. Staff is examining this provision to see if it, too,
would be a helpful amendment to the Fort Collins code.
The Nuisance Gathering code change would be in conjunction with continued efforts to more
effectively and proactively enforce current nuisance laws,including loud parties, code compliance
issues and the Public Nuisance Ordinance. At the September 28 Study Session on the 2005 budget
exception process,the City Manager recommended an additional Code Compliance Officer and one-
time funding to continue the Police Party Project in 2005. If approved, these positions will greatly
assist in meeting increasing demands for enforcement.
The project team anticipates a 6-12 month timeframe to develop, bring before Council and
implement the majority of the five alternatives. The simpler code changes can be written and
brought to Council within the next few months.
October 12, 2004 Page 7
Long Term Actions
Project team members would like to continue to examine a number of other initiatives related to
neighborhood quality of life. They include:
• Continued expansion of enforcement efforts; Staff members are currently exploring whether
grants targeting crime prevention, underage drinking and other areas could be tapped to help
fund these efforts
• The Board of Realtors has expressed interest in developing public/private collaborations to build
additional student housing. The hope is that Colorado State University will wish to be a partner
in this discussion, especially given the estimate of 5,000 additional students in the coming
decade.
• Explore potential incentives to encourage student renters to seek housing close to the University,
minimizing the "clash of cultures" that sometimes occurs in single family neighborhoods
• Police Services hopes to have the daily Case Log available online by early 2005. This will
enable property owners and managers to easily and proactively check for police calls to their
units, whether or not a citation is issued.
• Assess the effectiveness of the components detailed in this proposal on an ongoing basis,
assuming Council wishes to implement them.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Summary of Community Feedback
Attachment B: Example Lease Addendum
Attachment C: Example Nuisance Parties Ordinance
Attachment A: Summary of Community Feedback
Item Page numbers
Chart of total responses 1
Summary of comments 2 — 11
Rental survey results 12— 16
Stakeholder meeting notes 17—31
Total Number of Rental Licensing Responses this Fall
Estimated Number
of Meeting
Attendees, 475
2 2
Online and Paper
Surveys, 742
Phone Calls, 27
Written
Comments, 28
Email Phone, Paper Surveys,Other Comments:
Date Comments Method View
In 1997 the Avery Park Neighborhood Association was established because the quality of life in our
neighborhood was deteriorating. The Association no longer has leadership,because it is a losing
battle without support from the City. I have copies of newspaper articles from 1999 that refer to the
decline of the areas around CSU. I watched the production of"The House Next Door:Student or a
Family"on 6/12/04. Doug Brobst,a rep of the Rolland Moore West Neighborhood Network,stated
that we should let the officials know the problems we are facing. Darin Atteberry,stated that the issue
is a high priority for the council and the mayor. Marty Tharp has been working on the student rental
issue forever,and I feel that I have been communicating with the City Council for years. How long will
it be before something is done?When will CSU take responsibility for their off-campus students? I
am sick of reporting this neighborhood to the nuisance hotline. The mix of greedy landlords and
6/28/2004 irresponsible young people is lethal. Email For
It has been years,and I'm still waiting for something to be done. I've begged for the no more than
7/14/2004 three unrelated ordinance to be enforced. Email For
Did I move to Boulder by accident or is it just my imagination? This issue will get me to show up in
7/1 512 0 0 4 protest. Email Against
The idea of holding one person accountable for the actions of another is wrong. It is easy to go after
the landlords because we are usually accessible and will probably actually pay a fine. What kind of
responsibility is that teaching to renters,that their behavior is eventually someone else's
consequence?On occasion the City has notified me by mail of a nuisance and I follow up on it. This
7/16/2004 is done without a licensing process. Letter Against
It is a business and it is right to license and regulate the business so that your constituents are not
harmed. This is not a partisan issue. Please help us! There were flyers handed out recently telling
7/17/2004 homeowners in my neighborhood that a rental group wants to buy our homes. Email For
We are hoping the rental licensing is passed by City Council. Rental houses devalue the rest of the
7/17/2004 houses in the area. Email For
We support the concept of licensing of rental units in FC. This type of program will help preserve the
quality of neighborhoods and will provide a more direct and enforceable way of addressing problems
7/22/2004 with rental property. Email For
Creation and enforcement of a rental registry will be difficult if not impossible. The law will be
circumvented regularly and City staff will have to strengthen the mechanism,thus increasing staffing.
While I have nothing but the highest regard for Steve Roy and his staff,my impression is that the City
7/23/2004 is buying a lawsuit. Email Against
7/30/2004 Opposed to rental licensing. It will have unintended consequences. Phone call Against
7/30/2004 If laws are on the books,enforce those first rather than infringe on property rights. Phone call as u
I live in the NW part of FC and in late July I see my street change from a quiet,happy place into a
ghetto-like scene. The downtown homeowner like me soon Teams that she is outnumbered by
renters,that a quiet family neighborhood is not really possible in Fort Collins. Let's promote owner-
occupied homes in central FC as a way of supporting downtown businesses,and reducing traffic,
parking and pollution problems. Let's explore and rethink the favored status that absentee landlords
presently have.What could be more American than supporting homeowners who take pride in their
7/30/2004 homes,obey the law,and want safe,quiet streets? Letter For
I lease a home in FC and signed an agreement with a property management group who made several
commitments to conduct"drive by inspections"and several in house Inspections. None were made
and not until my former neighbors wrote complaining about several nuisances was I aware that there
was a problem. Perhaps the solution would be to license the property management companies but
7/31/2004 only with criteria that forces them to perform inspections at predetermined timetables within a window. Email For
I am a landlord and property manager. Very much opposed,it will raise rents. Need to do more
8/2/2004 education of landlords. Phone call Against
8/2/2004 It will drive up our cost and ifs already difficult to come out ahead renting a home. Phone call Against
I support licensing. Drunks and noise. We need someone to take responsibility and some way to
8/2/2004 control this. Phone call For
8/2/2004 1 live in an apartment with$575 a month rent. I can't afford any increase in my rent. Phone call ?
Calling the police has been very ineffective,as responding to these types of calls are not a priority. I
don't think I should have to call the police every day about this. The property manager of the problem
house next door tells me that there's nothing I can do about how many kids live in the house
8/2/2004 "because the city doesn't enforce that anyway." Letter For
3
Unfortunately,we are starting to see our subdivision turn over towards the rental market I see it as
an eroding of our neighborhood. We have several houses where parents have purchased a house for
their college-age children,who in turn rent it out to some of their friends. Most homeowner's
associations are powerless to deal with these situations. Our neighborhood does not have the
resources to deal with these problems. 1 believe part of the"affordable housing"problem in Fort
Collins is because of the saturated rental market. 1 believe a cap on the number of"unrelated"adults
8/3/2004 in a house is very important. I believe that enforcement will be your key issue. Email For
8/3/2004 1 truly am not against this. This could hurt people on a local level,will bring more outsiders in. Phone call For
The rental market is terrible,getting worse,and the environment(i.e.recent and proposed legislation)
makes it feel like the city government wants to get rid of rental properties. I'm a bit cynical that this
licensing program is just a revenue generating scheme. It would be nice if you could present a more
balanced point of view to help give the community some perspective on this issue...does FC want
single family rental properties at all or are they viewed as a"nuisance"to be eliminated? If the
8/4/2004 licensing program would have no fees associated with it I wouldn't care in the least Email ?
In support of a rental licensing ordinance because many rentals in area,would be nice to know who
8/4/2004 are owners,be able to notify of problems. Phone call For
Wild parties all hours,double parking,4-5 people in 3 bedroom,etc,etc. I could write a full page,
8/4/2004 terrible. Paper survey For
I have college students on both sides of me and when 1 tell them about their violations they tell me
8/4/2004 "tough". What are you supposed to do? - Paper survey For
Monitoring tenant behavior is difficult if not impossible on a daily basis by landlords.The ordinance
should not be punitive and discourage landlords from providing housing that allows transitional,low-
income students,and other populations a much needed place to reside at a reasonable cost. It
seems as though the preponderance of problems is in single family housing with multiple unrelated
8/5/2004 parties. Focus on problem areas. Email ?
Why not issue an information sheet to unhappy residents who don't like the rental next to them,so
they can follow already established city guidelines and perhaps refine the process of compliance for
8/5/2004 all properties. Email Against
Within limits,I don't have a problem with a licensing program. What I am concerned about is being
penalized(monetarily)by the bad landlords and/or tenants(bear in mind that a landlord has his/her
hands tied to a large degree by anti-discrimination laws). Perhaps there is some way you can
structure the funding for this program so that bad landlords who are violating certain standards are
fined,rather than charging all landlords a licensing fee. Licensing should be applied to and paid for
8/5/2004 by ALL properties regardless of whether they are rentals or owner-occupied. Email For
Fort Collins is always big about citing affordable housing and then wants to basically charge people to
create standards that are already there?Rental rates will skyrocket because of the lack of supply and
rooms in houses will be a waste of space causing urban sprawl and traffic issues. A family can't even
be decided by the Supreme Court,how does the City of Fort Collins expect to defend it's right to
8/5/2004 discriminate against other peoples choice of lifestyles? Email JAgainst
I am a community apartment manager and we make sure we follow all rules and regulations involved
in renting our apartments. We currently have our own noise and occupancy regulations and
requirements of our residents. I feel that existing ordinances should be reviewed and enforced before
anything new is added. Education,communication and commitment to our community are the
8/5/2004 answers. Email Beef u
As a home owner in a heavy rental neighborhood I hope you approve the rental licensing plan in order
to help control out-of-control landlords and tenants. We have the police visit rental properties in our
8/5/2004 neighborhood frequently for a variety of reasons. Email For
Please take into consideration the low income family,and those of us who are rental property owners
8/5/2004 who can't afford another fee or cost increase. Email Against
I'm opposed to rental licensing. t don't think its right for the City to tell anyone they can't rent their
8/5/2004 property. Will I be forced to sell my property? Againat
I'm concerned about inspection fees and that the City will increase fees every year. I own several
8/5/2004 properties and only made$800 last month-I don't want to pay another fee. Phone call ?
It is quite impossible to control the behavior of others,and to hold the owner responsible for what the
tenants do is just absurd. Creating laws that require the city to license,inspect,and closely observe
the business transactions in every rental unit in the city is intrusive and an infringement on the rights
of the property owner. Taking that money from the rental industry,in addition to adding the burden of
additional paperwork and even more anuscopic supervision of the business leaves property owners
8/8/2004 with two options:sell their properties;raise their rents to cover the additional expenses. Email Against
4
1 am on the Board of Directors of the Indian Hills Homeowners Association and a homeowner in the
8/6/2004 neighborhood. We have experienced difficulties with this specific issue from time to time. Email For
I support licensing. We are getting more rentals in our neighborhood. Students are a big problem-
8/6/2004 they aren't around long enough to care. Phone call For
I am a senior citizen and I am opposed to rental licensing. Many seniors and young families are
8/6/2004 struggling. This would effect both landlords and tenants. Letter Against
I feel like I am being penalized even though 1 do everything right. If expenses keep going up like they
8/8/2004 do in this city,it may mean pulling our money from this market and looking elsewhere. Email Against
Licensing and punishment for infractions should only be required if the property
owner/manager/tenant fails to meet city requirements. The altruistic owner/manager/tenant who
complies with existing laws by reasonable and decent rental occupancy policies and good sense
should not be punished by being required to submit to financial outlay for the license and the
8/8/2004 nuisance and bother of licensure. Email ?
Maybe there should be a check off list of required responsibilities of the tenant,that is filled out
monthly by the owner and signed by the tenants. Then they can take care of any problems before
8/9/2004 they get out of hand. Email ?
Residential rentals are commercial enterprises in areas of the city zoned for single family dwellings.
There is a precedent for licensing business enterprises in these zones(home occupation license).
This should be extended to these rentals. Neighborhoods are the heart and soul of FC. Unregulated
8/9/2004 rentals tear at this important fabric of our City. Email For
I am not in favor of rental licensing. Landlords who neglect their properties should be issued citations
and appropriate penalties. Tenants with inappropriate neighborhood behavior should also be dealt
8/9/2004 with through the law,just as any other neighbor. Email Against
I do not believe that rental licensing is necessary nor advantageous to FC. It seems to me that this is
a reactionary response by the City Council to a few squeaky wheels. It seems that the problems
associated with irresponsible tenants and landlords could more economically and efficiently be
8/10/2004 handled on a case by case basis. Email Against
All too often when a nuisance violation has occurred and been reported,nothing is done to correct the
problem. I have mowed down 3-feet tall weeds and"trimmed"tree branches that hung over the
sidewalk making it impossible to pass. If we are going to have a nuisance ordinance,then enforce it.
8/1 0120 0 4 Put some teeth in the existing ordinances and enforce the code. Email Beef up
If there is a problem why doesn't the City enforce the laws on the books? If you implement licensing,
and don't enforce it any better than the existing laws,what have you gained? Why would you think of
treating tenants as second class residents when there are plenty of home owners that don't take pre
of the property they live in. I can't help but suspect that the City might be having a problem with the
8/10/2004 "under 25 generation". If this is the case,why not enforce the 3 or more unrelated tenants ordinance? Email Beef u
8/102004 Think long and hard about licensing. Adds another expense and devalues properties. Phone call Against
This is not a goad way for the City to collect revenue. Follow through with the City Plan that is already Comment
8/10/2004 in place. Sheet Beef up
Unregulated rentals lead to severe economic deterioration of the neighborhood. These landlords are
essentially rezoning an area without having to go through the processes,safeguards,and expenses
of building an apartment complex. The stress of living in a teenage or young adult dominated area is
enormous. The police do respond,but what do they do? Our community servants need to look out
8/112004 for the homeowners needs and rights rather than placing emphasis on unbounded free enterprise. Email For
I would hope that some means are developed to get revenue from the violations so the"good guys"
8/11/2004 are not paying for the enforcement. Email ?
I am definitely in favor of rental licensing. During the past few years,there has been a negative
impacts on our neighborhoods because of the increase in rental properties. There is a 3-bedroom
ranch house being advertised in my neighborhood as a 6 bedroom. At this rate,we will not be able to
8/1 1120 0 4 call this the Choice City for very much longer. Email For
I have lived in FC for 25+years in Woodwest subdivision and seen the increase in rentals. Next door
there are 4 unrelated people living therewith 7 cars in total. I want to live in an area zoned single
family homes and remain that way. Real estate companies/executives promote these properties as
8/11/2004 apartments,this type of behavior needs to be stopped. Email For
Geate a database and update it. As an apartment owner, I would be happy to comply for a small fee.
8/71/2004 Charge those who don't register. ICAAmmmentlAgainst
5
1 have lived in the Meadowlark neighborhood for 25 years. In the vast majority of cases,rental
properties are not kept up In the appearance and repair of the house and the yards are usually in bad
condition. Rentals often have 5-6(or more)vehicles parked in both driveway and street. It is obvious
the number of unrelated adults living there exceeds city regulations. All of these issues need to be
8/12/2004 addressed to preserve the quality of life and property values of owner-occupied homes. Email For
Shouldn't we simply utilize our current tools? 1 have been a property manager for 10 years. I suggest
that people should register their rental property and a penalty for anyone that doesn't register their
rental property(ies). We need to know who to contact to enforce the nuisance ordinances or building
8/12/2004 and zoning issues. Charge a($1000)fee for not registering. No inspection required. Email Beef u
JOur neighborhood submitted a letter to a property manager and followed up with a phone call about
multiple disturbances in one of the houses they manage. He seems uninterested in alleviating the
problem. This is a perfect example of why we need the property managers to become responsible for
8/12/2004 their tenants. Email For
Three-unrelated law is a good law and licensing should help enforce it.Licensing will make landlords
part of the solution instead of the problem. Right now they can break the three-unrelated law with no
risk. Why aren't City officials doing more to enforce the zoning laws? If there are problems enforcing,
then fix them. Don't toss away a good law. Why aren't realtors required to tell their clients about the
8/12/2004 nuisance laws and three-unrelated? Email Beef U
Treating rental units differently than owner occupied residences is totally unfair. Property ownership
8/12/2004 info is available from county clerk in case of violations,so why pay to duplicate information? Email ?
The City knows how to reach property owners regarding noise,weeds,sofas,parties,etc. Make the
8/12/2004 tenants accountable and responsible,just like real adults. Email Against
We bought a home in SE FC. Us and our surrounding ounding neighbors all agree that the prop manager
and owner should be responsible for keeping the property dean and safe. It shouldn't be up to
8
112/2004 neighbors to confront problematic tenants. Email For
I Feel BOR has power,suspicious of their motives. If you own investment property,you own a small
8/12/2004 business. Phone call For
I feel this is a cheap way for the City to increase its revenue without providing any increase in
8/16/2004 services. It is easy to find out who the property owner is. Email Against
Live in 900 block of Timberline. Feels there are good and bad rentals. Wants to see at minimum a
8/17/2004 registration program. If so,he'll contact owners directly. Phone call ?
The rental I manage,as well as those of my neighbors what are student renters,strive to have a
positive impact on our neighborhood. Please consider not applying rental licensing to neighborhoods
8/18/2004 1with a low density of rental houses. Email Against
In managing a home for 10 years,my most serious problem were 2 folks in their 40's...not convinced
the 3-unrelated is necessary. Selecting tenants is a crap-shoot. Zero tolerance should be the policy.
8/18/2004 Allocate additional funds for neighborhood resources. Email Beef u
By imposing restrictions,the City limits the number of rental units available and then drives up the
8/19/2004 cost. If the goal is to tame college students'noisy gatherings,there are surely better ways to do it. Email Against
1 have lived in FC for 28 years. A person cannot help but notice the slow dedine of the older
neighborhoods due to investors grabbing up houses that come on the market. A severe lack of
responsibility for screening tenants,property upkeep and total disregard for land use codes seems to
be the norm in this city. Something needs to be done and a good start is to get rental owners
attention by hitting them in the pocket book and ensuring that lack of responsibility will not be
8/20/2004 tolerated. Email For
I'm not convinced that 4 students in a house are no more likely than 3 to cause problems. I saw you
direct the PD last spring to put more effort into responding to citizen calls,and I sure hope that effort
8/20/2004 is ongoing. Allocate additional funds for neighborhood response. Email JAgainst
I feel that my R-L neighborhood is being de facto re-zoned by the proliferation of rentals with more
than three tenants. Who would want to move to Village West these days? Fewer residents have
vested interest in the neighborhood. Like any other business owner,rental unit owners should be
8/21/2004 responsible for maintaining appropriate standards. Email For
Currently only a small portion of rental units cause problems of any type. Will raise rent prices. This
ordinance may further erode individual privacy. Any additional laws should deal with personal
8/22/2004 responsibility of the violator. Email Against
FOwners and occupants are not currently held accountable. Since we live in a college town,it is
expected that there will be many rentals. That's why the City has to be all the more concerned about
8/23/2004 enforcing ordinances that will keep FC from becoming a slum. Email Beef u
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The violations that currently occur are already covered by existing ordinances. Please don't create
8/23/2004 more fees and trouble for FC residents when the economy is already struggling. Email Against
I live by Overland Park and our neighborhood is being transformed into dorm rooms,and we're 4
miles from CSU. Our street is solid cars. We are told that Bauder Elementary is loosing students.
8/23/2004 We really need some control on the numbers of occupants in rentals. Email For
Rental licensing is absolutely essential. Nothing draconian is needed,a moderate fee(max$10/mo)
would go a long way towards owner accountability and code enforcement Investment property is a
business and needs some regulation. I see far too many health and safety violations. Licensing will
also help make many homes that are closer to"affordable'available for the first time buyers and
families renting since they do not have to unfairly compete against investment groups buying"cash
cows"at higher prices and ignoring the neighborhood. We have privatized the profits when
unregulated,but publicized the costs(i.e.police and other enforcement departments)There is no
neighborhood cohesiveness anymore or safety of the violation reporter from retaliation(which does
8/23/2004 happen) Email For
Licensing is apparently directed at problem behavior in certain neighborhoods. I recommend stricter
enforcement of the nuisance ordinance. Please look into a root cause analysis before assuming
8/23/2004 landlords and property managers can change others'behavior. Email Beef up
The goals should be to put less pressure on the police to correct bad tenant behavior thereby saving
resources. City needs to put some serious consequences on the tenants and landlords. I sincerely
8/23/2004 wish we didn't have to implement licensing,but at this point there is no other choice. Email For
Same code rules should apply to resident owners. Huge cost to taxpayers for maintaining database,
8/25/2004 inspections,enforcement. Information on properties is available at county courthouse. Email Against
I can see some sort of database set up so owners/managers can be contacted quickly if there is a
problem. I can see a one-time fee to do this. We need to upgrade communication between owners
and managers and Police or Beth's office. We have ordinances in place and most of the time cannot
8/26/2004 get the City to do anything. The cost will be outrageous to support reinventing the wheel. Email Beef up
I have endured partiers in houses near me,a girl student urinating on my lawn,garbage,
trespassing... Please tell me if I should be afraid or is the neighborhood going to be held to a decent
8/26/2004 standard. Email For
The recent riots should make clear to the authorities that they are dealing with a large number of
students who have little discipline. You cannot control this behavior with half-measures that pussy-
foot around the issues. The university has done little to aid the community. I have a right to a sound
sleep in my own house,and I will demand it of the authorities. Solutions are long overdue,so find
8/26/2004 them and implement them. Email For
County records often have no address of home owner listed making it impossible to track the person
8/26/2004 down. Renters are not familiar with City codes. Landlords are spoiled. Letter For
I am disappointed that Council continues to try to regulate every facet of activity and target owners of
rentals as the reason there are ugly properties. Deal with the less than 1%that are the problem and
8/27/2004 embrace the diversity of the 99%who can make a positive impact. Email AaaInst
Rental licensing should be used as a last resort tool. It would be wiser to enforce the current
nuisance ordinances as they affect the issue now. The City needs to be less complacent about the
8/27/2004 noise ordinances and make the tenant responsible. Email Beef u
There are only 2 issues rental licensing can address:Property owner contact info and unit inspections
8/27/2004 prior to leasing. Everything else can be amended into existing regulation. Email ?
This is a knee-jerk reaction by an unimaginative City. Landlords have no control over tenants,police
do. Landlords inherently try to maintain decent tenants. The ones that don't can be dealt with via
existing building code and zoning violations. For problem areas try enforcing public congregation
rules and noise regulations,increase police patrols,send weekly info to residents,encourage a
8/28/2004 church to outreach,require all residents to attend an 8 hour"character building"class. Email Beef u
8/28/2004 Rental market conditions and building codes are enough to regulate rental housing. Email Against
Who do we call? I think a sign should be posted on the property that lists the managers/owner's
name and 24 number. There should be a fine if they cannot be contacted. The managerlowner
8/28/2004 should not be able to say"Out of sight,out of mind" Email For
We've been subject to drug deals gone bad,public urination,vomiting,violent noise,barking dogs,
bad property care,etc... Contacting owners was useless,and when police were called,nothing was
done. By not enforcing current rules,University Acres are turning into slums. Could our mayors
ownership of a rental property affect his judgment? Responsible landlords/agents should have no
8/28/2004 problems with a properly written regulation. Email For
8/28/2004 3 unrelated is unrealistic. 5 bedrooms=5 tenants. Email ?
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The proposed ordinance is the wrong tool to address rental issues. Most landlords will probably
disregard the ordinance anyway escalating the cost of enforcement. A small amount of initiative in
a/2a/2004 this area would be well Invested rather than blanket solutions to address specific targeted issues. Email Beef up
Rental licensing is a bad idea because it decreases individual responsibility and increases the power
of government. A free people have a responsibility to solve social problems themselves without
turning to government. I own and occupy a home in a rental neighborhood. I have the contact info for
the property managers of rentals around me. Its easy. Most of these kids want to be good
neighbors,but have little experience. As neighbors we should help them. We need more individual
BJ28/2004 responsibility. Email Against
If our zoning ordinance is not enforceable,what would make licensing enforceable? We have a
8/2b/2004 nuisance ordinance for these problems. Email Beef u
This is so overdue. Last I heard,only 2 states(Mississippi 8 CO)didn't have tenant housing laws.
We should be able to protect our property and safety in our own homes. Property owners have no
8/29/2004 incenflve to make these types of tenants move and we live in fear as a result. Email For
8/29/2004 The responsibility and penalties should be upon the tenants Email Beef u
City could mandate certain clauses to be included in leases to ensure that tenants are not exploited,
and to specify the minimum acceptable level of amenities. Landlord should be held responsible for
violating such requirements. Tenants of rental homes should not be treated differently from people
8/29/2004 occupying their own homes when it comes to violating City codes. Email ?
1 have lived at my present address for 12 years. The quality of life has declined and now I'm moving
out of FC. I've had to ask for quiet repeatedly,on Sunday morning my neighbors were"lighting up"in
8/29/2004 the garage-not something 1 want my 6th grader to see. Email For
I own a condo since 1996 and I've never had a complaint filed. SO why do you want me to be
licensed? This whole idea is"make work"to appease neighbors with legitimate complaints. Instead
8/29/2004 of licensing,arrest the noise violators,fine the tenants-same as homeowners. Email Beef u
Lets find out why current laws aren't working and fix them. People should have the fight to rent
where it is most affordable. I believe the current surplus of rental units will sort out the"bad"landlords
and properties. Current City codes don't provide a reasonable method for properties to be improved.
8/29/2004 HOkt tenant responsible for their actions. Email Beef up
Ucensing will just limit the number of good landlords because investors wont be able to afford to buy
property. I don't have time as a landlord,or means to prove the number of un-related or related
8/29/2004 individuals in my property. If my tenants are a problem,it shouldn't be my problem. Email Against
Unless you have one of these problem renters in your neighborhood,you have no idea what a
8/30/2004 problem they are. Email For
FC has always been a town that took pride in the appearance of homes and yards. Hold landlords
8/30/2004 accountable. Email For
Neighborhoods within 3 miles of CSU are severely impacted by student rentals. Help us retain the
8/30/2004 quality of life and property values in Rogers Park. City has a right to regulate them. Email For
3 of the 5 homes on my wide-sac are rentals with 4-6 people living in them. They average 5-7 cars.
One is a"kiddie-condo'. Licensing is necessary so that the number of rentals in one area can be
controlled.1 work hard to maintain my home in FC only to find that I have no say over the demise of
8/30/2004 my neighborhood. Email For
The residential rental business is a legitimate business and probably one of the major revenue
generators within the city. Rental activities should be identified and licensed the same as other
at30/2004 businesses. Email For
I have lived downtown for 15 years. Property owners/managers with numerous properties are
definitely worse than smaller operations that tend to care more. It is too much to ask me to time and
again impress upon the student tenants characteristics of respect and moderation. I would hope that
licensing would improve industry quality without being completely punitive. If not enforced,it is no
8/30/2004 help., Email For
We have had problems with neighboring tenants. We do not believe licensing should be influenced
8/30/2004 by realtors. Email ?
I live in Thundermoore. Renters should be treated the same as owners. A majority of the problems
are from CSU students. Suggest a welcome program for new folks to the neighborhood;renters
8/30,2004 lease that states City code violations;a copy of police report sent to owner Letter ?
3-Unrelated didn't work;PNO didn't work;$1000 state littering fine didn't work;how will this work?
Licensing provides landlords as the easy targets. Why not pass a bill requiring students to be
licensed?"Oh that would be discriminatory"Why then is it not discriminatory for landlords? It is bad
legislation because it furthers the concept that problems can be addressed by ignoring those
8/30/2004 responsible,and shifting it to easy target groups. Letter Against
Please use and enforce existing laws wherever you can. Please consider small situations such as 8
8/31/2004 owner-occupied. Please do not provide higher fees without providing some level of service. Email Beef u
8/31/2004 Properties in single family districts should only be rented to and occupied by single families. Email For
I own 3 rentals. Put some penalties in the lease. Create a program where landlords that meet certain
8/31/2004 requirements are designated"star rentals" Email Beef u
Rentals should require a business license. Licensing is about renter health and safety. Basement
8/31/2004 apartments need to be addressed. Email For
Landlords should not have the right to impose such incivility on others simply for the sake of easy
8/31/2004 profits.
Email For
Our neighborhood has slowly declined into rentals. Stability is gone and replaced by yearly turnover
of students. Single family dwelling should mean what it says:one family,related by marriage,
8/31/2004 birth/adoption. Email For
Village West used to be a premier neighborhood and is now ruined. There are parties,bottles and
8/31/2004 garbage in yards,fights,public urination,speeding cars in our neighborhood. Email For
8/31/2004 Publish online list of rental licenses and Inspections. Don't harts good landlords. Email For
Present ordinances are not working. Ciys inability to manage the problem is embarrassing. As a
renter, I would be happy subsidizing any additional fees my landlords incur as a result of more
8/31/2004 aggressive City policies. Target problem properties with owner consequences. Email For
8/31/2004 Parking is my greatest concern. Email ?
We are against licensing but for a registration database to identify owner and code violations. Send
8131/2004 fines to owner and if they don't pay them,attach a lien to their property;just like to HOA's do. Email
Against
Its unjustifiable to think tenant behavior is associated with number of tenants. Strongly support
8/31/2004 eliminating 3-unrelated. Email Against
If City enforced current codes,we wouldn't need licensing. My son doesn't go to the park because it's
8/31/2004 not pleasant for him anymore. It's time we take back the neighborhood. Email Beef u
As a landlord,it is difficult to increase rents to cover escalating costs of utilities,property taxes,
8/3l/2004 insurance,advertising,and repairs. Email Beef u
It seems the City is writing off those neighborhoods abutting to campus as college ghettoes. My west
side neighborhood has gone from first-home families to 50%rentals in 6 years. Many neighbors have
moved away. By disregarding the interests of working families,the City may be cutting it's own throat
8/3l/2004 in the long run. Email For
This idea is driven by good intentions,but may have unintended consequences. The parking
requirements and occupancy requirements may be counter to the Citys plan to promote in-fill of
development areas. Some units will be taken off the market because il's too expensive to make them
8/31/2004 compliant,putting further pressure on rents. Let the market drive landlord behavior. Email Beef u
I moved from FC because my neighborhood became over run by student rentals. The City or police
8/31/2004 did nothing to help. Email For
9/1/2004 1 am strongly against anyone making someone else responsible for anther's actions Email Against
You assume the problem is from rentals. The problem is from absentee landlords who are not
9/1/2004 accountable for condition of buildings and yards. The number of occupants is rarely a problem. Email ?
These problems are not unique to rental units. Licensing will increase the cost of renting. It will only
make inspectors wealthy. Neighbors should invest their time in getting to know the renters. Violators
9/1/2004 should be responsible. Enforce current laws. Email Beef u
If the issues are college related,then the college needs to be involved. Nuisance and noise needs to
9/1/2004 be addressed and handled between City,police department,and the college. Email Against
Existing laws would go a long way if strictly and swiftly enforced. Should apply equally to owner-
9/1/2004 occupied as well. I am limited as to what I can do when I have a bad tenant. Email Beef u
College rentals are a serious problem in a number of neighborhoods. Don't give in to realtor pressure
9/1/2004 -licensing is a good idea. Email For
Enrollment at CSU has increased and only 2 new buildings have been built. Burden has fallen on the
City. 1 mile radius around CSU is"student ghetto",no one wants to move there and schools in the
area suffer. What should be affordable starter homes are worth more as student rentals. I support
9/2/2004 rental licensing. Email For
Enforcement is a problem. Accountability for actions is great but doesn't address the effect on the
L
neighborhood feeling of late night noise,etc. Email ?
Enforce our current city ordinances. Adopt a standardized lease. Issues with tenants should be
directed at tenants. Email Beefup
When is the City going to stop attacking their life-blood...the students? Email Against
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More effective enforcement of the existing laws. No need to burden responsible landlords. I support
accountability of repeat offenders. CSU must be more active. Require legal sanctions(fines)rather
than property management(eviction). Enforcement must come from local law rather than from
9/3/2004 owners and property manager enforcement. Email Beef up
Rental properties should meet minimum safety standards. Safety inspections should be part of any
9/3/2004 licensing program. Email For
Shift your focus from parks,bike paths,open space,and ice rinks which affect narrow sectors of the
population,and instead focus on the ongoing issues and problems with students and renters,and the
associated deterioration of quality of life. I am disappointed to hear City government officials publicly
state that they do not plan to enforce the current laws. My neighborhood is fed up with the Cltys
inaction and lack of responsiveness. We pay the highest taxes in the state,offer lots of high-end
9/3/2004 amenities,yet we do not protect the basic safety of our less affluent citizens. Email For
The City's first priority should be to enforce the PNO. Licensing wont have any effect if the nuisance
9/3/2004 households aren't fined. It is coming up to 2 full years since the"Neighborhood Summit" Email Against
This is the Joke of the century. Why should we expect this to be enforced? What is the purpose of
9/3/2004 calling an area Single Family Dwelling and then allowing unrelated people to move in? Email Against
Even as a homeowner in"rental row"neighborhood,I don't think licensing is a good idea. Instead,
9/3/2004 enforce what's in place. Email Beef u
9/4/2004 Difficult to prove 3 unrelated. Letter ?
1 am a single senior whose total retirement income consists of my 5 rental properties.I fear the City's
attitude toward citizens from my observations over 34 years. Licensing will impact me financially and
emotionally. Inspections will be punitive requiring me to make repairs and/or improvements that 1 can
9/4/2004 1 hardly afford. Letter Against
1 am curious to know why this extra layer of government red tape is necessary in the first place.
9/5/2004 Where specifically is the problem in the existing rules/regs? Email Against
The PNO seems to have been a help in our neighborhood(Avery Park). Can something be put in the
license that would require landlords to provide basic tools such as rakes,snow shovels,lawn
9/6/2004 mowers hoses etc? Email For
After 20 years in Aspen Knolls, I am saddened by the lack of disrespect. I would love to know that
the City officials I voted for would show me their good faith by either changing the law or enforcing it.
9/7/2004 We are not elitists as we live in small humble homes that we cherish. Email For
I suggest you give each CSU student the quality neighborhoods brochure and enclose it in the City
977/2004 bills for a time. Email ?
Licensing addresses the building but not the behavior(nuisances). Landlords don't throw caution to
the wind at the least hint of rental income. Ram's Hom Village got a special variance from 3-
9/7/2004 Unrelated rule and seems to work. Perhaps more zones after this pattern? Email ?
Licensing will keep the quality of the neighborhood,but wont fix noise problems. Owners should be
required a license to operate. I'm a CSU student and not all students are bad neighbors,but are
9/7/2004 singled out. Email For
1-3 bedrooms=Max 2 occupants per bedroom/4+bedrooms=1 occupant/bedroom+2 occupants.
9/8/2004 Also be a number of bathrooms component to the equation. Email Beef u
I should not have to babysit every time there is a change in renters. As long as I have had the ability
to contact the landlord directly,I have had a good relationship with the renters. However,this has not
9/9/2004 been the average situation. Email For
This proposal doesn't recognize the responsible parties. Work with CSU to enforce some severe
sanctions on those who cause the problems. Work with the Police to effectively respond. Landlords
9/9/2004 are in economics-not enforcers of local ordinances. Email Beef u
Hold tenants responsible;fine for violations;work with CSU to kick them out for repeat violations;
9/9/2004 publicize the Nuisance Hotline to empower homeowners. Email Beef u
9/1 212 0 0 4 Rental properties should not be held to a higher standard than non-rental properties Email Against
It seems arbitrary that the City is targeting student rentals as the big livability issue,as a knee-jerk
9/1 2120 0 4 response to a few random riots. Email Against
Have you put any effort into finding out how big the problem really is? What percentage of rentals
cause problems?Unless this program addresses an issue that affects a majority(>50%)of rental
properties,it's an unnecessary hardship on renters and owners. Those who aren't willing to abide by
9/1 2120 0 4 any regulations wont abide by any rules established by a new program. Email Beef u
To charge the owner to police the actions of the persons living in a rental is wrong just as holding bar
owners responsible for drunken drivers is wrong. Please do not heap heavier loads on the backs of
9/15/2004 those of us already struggling to survive financially. Email A ainst
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Solution is to institute community standards. If the offending renters were to purchase the property
and continue the same offense,nothing is gained. Hold residents responsible and require and help
9/15/2004 the landlord evict them. If inspections are implemented,they should be for all residences. Email Beef u
Some properties in this town need some work. Unfortunately,rental licensing tries to bite off more
than it can chew all at once. I would much rather see 15 more police officers than 15 Inspectors.
This is not an issue that should be taken lightly or a decision that should be made in haste. Please
9/1 512 0 0 4 to hear the points you currently don't agree with. Email lBeefuo
Look at rezoning areas around the university. Fort Collins needs to embrace the fact that it's a
9/15/2004 university town. Email Beef u
9/16/2004 Problems are caused by a few. Don't punish everyone. Email lAaainst
A nominal license fee should be imposed and certificate of inspection required. If property or
occupants are in violation,cost of enforcement must be at the owner's expense. Tenn of license is
9/20/2004 term of lease or until there are substantive changes in lease. Include a database of information. Letter For
My neighborhood is unsafe for me and my children. I am a single mother with 15 students living
9/21/2004 around me in 3 houses who drink and smoke and scream. Please lease enact enforceable laws. Email For
Communication with all concerned is wanting and enforcement of the PNO is the problem. There are
so many rentals available that renters can pick the best-kept units. If a renter questions habitability,
9/22/2004 Ithev can call for inspections. Letter ainst
Single family homeowners need to be able to contact all rental homeowners and/or property
managers when their peace of mind and safety is being threatened. Some landlords/PM's are
outright flaunting the ordinances in FC,and this is totally unacceptable. Thanks so much to the
RMWNN for all their hard work. I am outraged at the City for allowing this student rental problem to
9/23/2004 continue so Iona. Serious students must be as outraged as we are. Email For
Very much in favor. A group 2 blocks away throw very rowdy parties,no yard maintenance,trash on
front lawn,parks cars on lawns. The initial licensing fees should be kept low,with tax payers sharing
a portion. All fines and penalties should be at a high rate. Ensure enforcement-enforcement
agencies need to be adequately staffed and funded. Owners should provide trash service,lawn pre
and normal maintenance. Registration database. Change to criminal offense. CSU should increase
housing to students. Landlord and tenant responsibilities should be separate and distinct so that
each is punished. Licensing will reduce profit of landlords renting to multi-tenants. HOA's are mostly
Ineffective. A landlord can control a tenant's behavior by eviction. There should be no zoning.Rules
9/23/2004 Ifor tenants in lease. Email For
Please consider the landlords who are responsible-we are diligent in keeping up the appearance of
our property. Many home owners park on their lawns but wont have to pay for a license. City should
9/23/2004 require an information database. Email Beef u
I'm curious why you don't license renters instead of rental property? People who cause trouble can
9/23/2004 have their license revoked. Email ?
Good neighbors are good neighbors,the number of people is less significant. To say we need
licensing because of health and safety is just a thinly veiled attempt to make anyone who opposes
licensing seem heartless. Empower tenants by giving them well-published information on who to
contact if their property isn't safe. How can you blame owner for inadequate parking unless approved
use is violated? Anonymity should be absolutely assured-the police told a party who called to
complain. If tenant is too noisy maybe they should get a week in jail. What is the property owner
going to be able to do? Go over in the middle of the night and threaten them with a bat? Or kick a
rowdy tenant out so that they can just move and bother someone else? Rentals are not a business,
9/23/2004 rather landlords have made an investment. Email Beef u
9/23/2004 The Qualitv Nei hborhoods brochure is great. Give it to all students at CSU. Email Beef u
Licensing will make CSU look less friendly. Real estate and CSU are big economy boosters for our
9/23/2004 area-try to help and not hurt it. Email o
I am currently a renter. If this can be done at the cheapest rate possible that would be great.
Responsibility depends on whose fault it is. Relationship or status should not make a difference on
9/23/2004 who can live tooether. Email For
9/23/2004 1 would like to see evidence from other cities. Email ?
The City must have a means to know the offenders,a strong enforcement,and money to handle the
9/23/2004 tasks added to the licensina program. Education is a right,a privilege,and a responsibility. Email For
You have to realize that the majority of renters in Ft Collins are college students and most college
9/24/2004 students aren't related. Email ?
Reduce the police response time. The City should handle this one step at a time and begin with
9/24/2004 lu ating the database of property. Email 1 Beef u
9/25/2004 lProoertv owners need to maintain or repair property and not leave it up to the tenants. Email I For
11
One rental house on our block made a fire pit in the middle of the yard. Need to have document that
informs tenants of their responsibilities in a neighborhood. Owner should be responsible when issues
9/26/2004 have to be Investigated by City and pay for Ci s time. Email For
Who is going to enforce occupancy requirements based on unrelated adults? What proof will
constitute acceptable proof that two people are siblingstblood relatives/family? What sort of
complaints will be handled by police?Rental licensing folks?City inspectors?Will there be duplication
9/2 812 0 0 4 of coverage? Who will verify complaints are legitimate and not vindictive? Email ?
My wife and I came back from living In California and became very aware of the impact of rentals. It
9/29/2004 Its now the'noisy ci 'not the"choice city". Lots of rowdy youngpeople, drinking and drugs. Email For
Why would you spend our tax dollars on something that other communities have already spent their
9/30/2004 good money and weren't able to enforce. Email Beef u
I like the increase in nuisance fines and I feel this direction is effective and should be given another
year or two. I was rental owner in Boulder for nearly 20 years and found the law/ordinance ineffective
10/4/2004 in limiting the number of tenants,property appearance,and reducing noise complaints. Email ?
You have talked about your valuable core downtown area;you are losing you valuable"core",
responsible,taxpaying,and lifetime citizens. This is definitely a town owned by CSU and landlords
and isn't for retired citizens anymore. We feel that we are being forced out of our home of 36 years,
which took us 30 years to pay for. We regret,abhor,and are sickened by being forced out of our
home by the irresponsible parties involved in this most agonizing decision. CSU needs to take some
10/4/2004 1 responsibility.Parents and landlords need to be notified of violations. (Sally Scrivner Email For
Not in favor,enforcement is key because the standards are in place. Key is neighbor
concems/complaints to a proactive source for resolution with Gear penalties including a simple lien
? hold. Paper survey Beef u
? Not in favor. Tougher fines to tenants for noise and nuisance behaviors would generate more money. Paper survey Against
I whole-heartedly disagree with this ordinance. Please enforce regulations we have. This will have a
? terrible effect on affordable housing. Pa r surve Beef u
If current laws aren't being enforced,then this is a legal issue. If you instigate licensing,my property
? manager will increase costs and I will move. Paper survey Beef u
As a home owner,next to a rental property,I am very fired of the multiple problems aiming from the
adjacent rental property.I believe that as a permanent resident and taxpayer,that my rights should be
? protected from transient/non paying(taxes)students. Paper survey For
Student rentals are a real problem in FC. Landlords do little to help these renters conduct themselves
in ways that are conducive to good neighborhood relations. Driving and parking on lawns is a
problem. We have no enforcement of current ordinances. It is time the City has some type of rental
? registry.licensing fee and effective enforcement. Renters and landlords need to be held accountable. Pa Der survey For
The new problem of our neighbors letting friends park by their house and then carpooling to school
? leaves no room for us to park. Email For
Homeowners give stability,character,and continuity to neighborhoods. They invest their life savings
in their homes. The City needs to positively support owner-occupied homes. Encourage people to Survey
? move into central FC. comment For
? I did not work this hard to buy a house in the middle of a dormitory. comment For
I'm a property owner. If the owner doesn't comply with standards than inform the owner and fine them
? or take them to court. Enforce current laws. Paper Survey Beef u
? A schedule of violation fees/fines must be established and promulgated. Paper Survey For
Parking:No more than 2 off-street vehicles per house. Recreational vehicles of certain length count
as 2. Dumpster counts as 1. Tenants provide information on vehicles. Vehicles not owned by tenant
are considered may be considered abandoned. For every legal bedroom above 2,there must be 1 off
? street parking space which is paved or graveled. Paper Survey ?
Liability:Rests with owners,but costs are shared with tenants. Owners should provide information on
? house assessor's information is not timely or accurate. Paper Survey For
? 3-Unrelated may violate civil rights. Better to must count number of adults. Paper Survey ?
am for licensing which addresses health,safety,parking,occupancy,and nuisance issues. I'm not
for one which looks to document building/code violations. Knowing who is living in a property benefits
owners and neighbors. Inspections should only be used to for health and safety or the reporting of
? cdminal activity and not for building code violations. urvey or
Renters and landlords need to be held accountable. Some landlords feel like they're being penalized
even though they do everything right. The ordinance should not be punitive and discourage landlords
from providing housing that allows transitional,low-income students and other populations a much
? needed place to reside at a reasonable cost. Letter ?
Rental Licensing Survey Report
:-----------------------•----------------.-....-...-.. - -- ---------....-----------.------------------------------------------------------------------------.12--..............
:Showing totals from: online survey I piper survev both
Questions
Please select one that best fits you:
Totals Answer
211 Rental Property owner
19 Rental Property manager
47 Tenant
393 Neighbor of rental property
72 Other
Please rate the following:
On a scale of 1 to 5, how important is it to you that rental licensing addresses the following issues?
(1 indicates very important and 5 not Important at all)
Health and safety of tenants
Totals Rating
258 1
107 2
127 3
56 4
194 5
Occupancy (# of people per unit)
Totals Rating
340 1
79 2
84 3
48 4
191 5
Parking requirements
Totals Rating
297 1
99 2
112 3
69 4
165 5
http://webux.fcgov.com/dev/rentallicensing/report.php?scope=3 10/5/2004
Rental Licensing Survey Report
Noise and nuisance behaviors 13
Totals Rating
421 1
63 2
51 3
40 4
167 5
Accountability of property owner,
property manager and/or occupant
Totals Rating
419 1
53 2
61 3
31 4
178 5
read all comments from this section
Which answers do you believe to be most effective and workable as part of a licensing ord
(Check all that apply)
1. Ucensing application requirements
Totals Answer
533 Name of local agent or contact
338 Usting of occupants
434 Signed disclosure stating compliance with rental housing standards
402 Certificate that number of occupants is within limits
283 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question ]
2. How should occupancy limits be addressed?
Totals Answer
352 Standard number of adults
304 Number of bedrooms
108 Square footage
86 No occupancy limits
http://webux.fcgov.com/dev/rentallicensing/report.php?scope=3 10/5/2004
Rental Licensing Survey Report
244 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question ] 14
3. If occupancy limits were based on number of adults, which would you choose? (Family is defined ,
number of people related by blood, marriage or adoption.)
Family with no more than:
Totals Answer
194 4 unrelated adults
262 3 unrelated adults
105 2 unrelated adults
68 Family only
277 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this Question ]
4. If occupancy limits were based on number of bedrooms, which would you choose?
Totals Answer
37 Not more than 3 people per bedroom
210 Not more than 2 people per bedroom
54 2 more people than number of bedrooms
320 1 person per bedroom
247 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question
]
5. Term of rental license:
Totals Answer
330 Annually
98 Every 3 to 5 years
208 License valid until change in ownership
255 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question ]
6. Types of rental units subject to licensing:
Totals Answer
503 Single family homes
202 Certain zones
396 Duplexes
332 Apartments
192 Owner-occupied
http://webux.fcgov.com/dev/rcntallicensing/report.php?scope=3 10/5/2004
Rental Licensing Survey Report
204 Exemptions [ read the 'exemptions' comments from this question j 15
189 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question ]
7. Licensing fee:
Totals Answer
476 Nominal fee per unit, to cover administrative costs; inspections charged at market value (if
69 Higher licensing fee, but no inspection fee
306 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question ]
8. Type of license violations:
Totals Answer
476 Failure to meet rental housing standard
446 Failure to obtain license
475 Failing to make corrections
519 Multiple nuisance and noise violations
454 Occupancy violations
288 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question ]
9. Liability should fall upon:
Totals Answer
300 Property owner
150 Property manager
272 Tenant
350 Combination
244 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question j
10. Parking requirements:
Totals Answer
364 One space per bedroom
107 1.25 - 1.5 spaces per bedroom
154 No parking requirements
246 Other [ read the 'other' comments from this question ]
11. Overall, are you in favor of rental licensing?
http://webux.fegov.eom/dev/rentallicensing/report.php?scope=3 10/5/2004
Rental Licensing Survey Report
Totals Answer Breakdown 16
Rental Property owner: 19
Rental Property manager: 3
384 Yes Tenant: 18
Neighbor of rental property: 317
Other: 27
Rental Property owner: 164
269 No Rental Property manager: 15
Tenant: 13
Neighbor of rental property: 47
Other: 30
Rental Property owner: 14
Rental Property manager: 1
54 Unsure Tenant: 16
Neighbor of rental property: 11
Other: 12
Rental Property owner: 14
Rental Property manager: 0
35 (Note: this option was only on the paper form) Tenant: 0
Neighbor of rental property: 18
Other: 3
http://webux.fcgov.com/dev/rentallicensing/report.php?scope=3 10/5/2004
17
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18
The Group Real Estate
July 13, 2004
Presenters: Tess Heffernan, Ginny Sawyer
Staff: Darin Atteberry, Steve Roy, Felix Lee,Peter Barnes, Mark Radtke, Greg Byrne
Audience questions and comments
- There appears to be a failure at a lot of different points...there are several laws
already on the books...the City already does regulate parking, nuisance
complaints, etc...What has been done to enforce these laws?
- It looks like this is already a done deal. I don't see the question(on the survey
form)of whether we believe licensing is a good idea—it's not
- I understand there are problems, but what can you do. One thing I did in my own
neighborhood was visiting new neighbors who are renting and let them know the
standards of the neighborhood. What is Party Partners and how does it work?
- Tell us the experiences of other cities who,have licensing ordinances....you say
Boulder's has been in place for 20 years...but I know from personal experience
they continue to have problems
- Why not give landlords more power to do something about the problems. You
can't predict what a tenant will do when you rent the property. Landlords need
more power to remove tenants who are causing problems. I recently had a
Section 8 rental that I couldn't get rid of for months. Eventually my costs to
make the repairs to damages caused by the renter topped$8,000. Give us a
method to get rid of them.
- A lot of folks think this is not a good idea. The problems revolve around CSU
students. CSU does not have on-campus housing for sophomores,juniors and
seniors. They are the problem and thus become the tail wagging the dog. CSU
needs to take more responsibility for off-campus student behavior.
- I have not had one complaint in 20 years of being a landlord. Those landlords
who are irresponsible will continue to be irresponsible with or without a license
- There are also problem neighbors who just don't like having a rental property
next door. Their behavior toward renters and the landlord becomes harassment
- Would you clear up a point with several City Council members who say that we
license businesses in Fort Collins? We don't license most businesses—generally
just businesses that operate out of a home.
19
We talk about more enforcement. I called the nuisance hotline twice during the
week and once on the weekend last week and got a recording each time. Then I
get a menu with seven options. I'd like to talk to a live person to deal with my
problem
We need to look at the economics of inspecting homes and enforcing licensing,
how many additional city staff will it take...what are the penalties....are you
going to seize property
With older properties will it be a health and safety inspection or will it end up
forcing owners to bring their properties up to current building code
If a complaint is followed by an inspection that determines no violations, the
person filing the complaint should pay for the inspection
Landlords can help the situation by providing their phone number to neighbors
Larry Kendall: Under the heading"types of properties to be licensed" I suggest
we exempt condos, townhomes and residences already covered by Homeowners
Associations. They already have strict standards to comply with. I also want to
point out that ten years ago I helped to support an apartment complex proposal for
the Prospect and Shields area that was voted down by Council...a project that
would have reduced the conversion of single family homes west of campus for
student housing...I've driven through the neighborhoods just west of campus and
it's creepy...but licensing won't do anything to improve the situation....just as the
public nuisance ordinance didn't do anything to improve the situation. We don't
want to end up like Boulder where they have worked against themselves by
boarding up properties that don't meet their inspection code and now sit vacant
because a property owner can't afford the $20,000 to $100,000 repair costs.
Council needs to think about the unintended consequences of such an ordinance.
20
Colorado Apartment Association Board of Directors
August 10, 2004
1. Why is the nuisance ordinance not working? Why is it not enough? Do you have
any other ordinances that cover areas such as appearance,parking, and
occupancy? All of which the current nuisance ordinance does not cover?
2. I own 28 apartments and it would cost me $28,000 to have each one inspected.
3. How can you make a landlord or property manager responsible for a tenants
actions?
4. People will be selling their homes because the big brother is intruding. This will
cause a housing shortage.
5. The nuisance ordinance required me to send in 2 forms to register each of my
tenants to Utilities. Then I was chastised for sending them in 1 envelope. The
City needs to have better communication.
6. Doesn't the assessor's office have a database on all rental properties? Where can
you get this kind of information?
7. We try to treat everyone the same in this industry. I find it difficult to get the City
to enforce the nuisance ordinance. We need to enforce those issues in place and
an occupancy law is a good thing to have.
8. It would be nice if it was per bedroom. I'm concerned that we've got both sides
of the fence working here. Marty Tharp felt that the City wasn't doing it's job to
enforce the existing laws. Occupancy limits doesn't help the parking situation but
rental licensing would be too expensive.
9. If health and safety was the purpose, I would be all for it.
10. Doesn't the building code official have the right to say that a certain house is
unsafe and then board it up? Yes, then why do we have to license to enforce what
you currently have already? If the property manager/landlord signed on
compliance, what would the judge say?
11. If the City does an inspection on the property and clears it, does the City have
liability if a violation is later found?
12. If we could get communication from the City on nuisance violations we would be
good. It goes back to communication.
13. Is it tossed around that the owner would contract with the inspector or would the
City contract with the inspector? What would the City do if during an inspection,
they found a bag of drugs and money? What if the tenant didn't let you in?
Could you call the cops? The cops have no warrant and therefore cannot do
anything.
a. We have databases of our tenants. What if we came together with the City
and created a database and updated it through membership? I would be
happy to do that rather than pay a licensing fee. Then we could penalize
people who don't register to be on the database. We could have a small
one-time fee to create this registration system in the beginning and that's
it.
14. Why isn't owner-occupied single family homes included?
15. What is staffs concept of rental licensing right now?
21
16. About the parking issue. I'm assuming you can't ticket cars right now because
there are no limits to how many spots they can take. Are you presenting to us
where tenants can park without being ticketed? You are trying to solve a problem
that we nor the police can solve.
17. It is discrimination if you licensing rental properties and not home owners as well.
18. I have a family of 5 children and we all have legit drivers licenses and cars and
we all park outside of our house. I don't think it's right for you to tell people that
they cannot park on their street. Our neighborhood all gets along great and we
discuss things with each other. If people are upset about rental homes, they need
to move to an area like this.
19. The enforcement of the nuisance ordinance is an effective tool.
20. Put some teeth behind what you have.
21. I've seen cops at the local coffee shop sitting around for hours. One time I even
called Marty Tharp and she came down to see them. We have more cops out on
patrol than people think, can we get these cops to enforce these types of things
that we are having problems with?
22. Why are they so behind in the assessor's office?
23. I like the idea of a central registry. We could penalize people who don't register.
Also, have stiffer fines for violations of the nuisance ordinance.
Fort Collins Housing Authority 22
August 26, 2004
1. There are tons of mixed use neighborhoods with single family homes. I hop this goes
beyond just single family homes.
2. Lawrence, Kansas is a good example of an area that didn't address mixed use homes.
3. The worst cases are in single family homes that have been chopped into separate
units.
4. I think our whole board thinks that rental licensing should not apply to properties
covered by Housing Authority
5. Your survey pre-supposes we are in favor and it's not fair.
6. Have fiscal documents been done on other communities that would model our
licensing ordinance?
7. There are currently lots of things on the books, has the study group put together what
codes might overlap licensing? I think we should enforce current codes.
8. There are a dozen cities listed, can you get studies about their targets, outcomes,
evaluation, and effectiveness?
9. "Slum"is an unfortunate word. The market is taking care of neighborhood values.
10. 1 don't hear anything about the landlord gouging students because it's getting
outrageous. Students are paying outrageous amounts of money to live here.
11. The landlord might not know about garage tenants. How often do property
managers/landlords go into these units? Are you trying to get rid of out-of-town
landlords?
Marty Tharp's Comments
1. There are 3 problems that I want to address:
— Health and safety issues
— Do away with unenforceable ordinances
— Preserve city core
2. I don't want this to be a substitute for current ordinances; I want a zero tolerance level
in FC.
3. It is currently done on a complaint basis which is not working. It's not feasible to
have habitability complaints come from landlords and tenants.
4. Landlords need to be responsible for their property.
5. I only have single family homes in mind to be licensed.
6. I have a new idea since I'm not a trusting soul on registration: be able to use
certification for homes with 3 or less renters; for homes with more than 3 renters have
inspections.
7. Rental health and safety is important to me and inspections enforce health and safety.
8. I am concerned about enforceability and how to increase it. It would help by making
it a civil offense rather than criminal offense.
9. Owner-occupied homes bought by parents and managed by students (kiddy-condos)
are covered by land-use codes that say you can't have a boarding house in FC single
family homes. Some aspects of the land-use codes are confusing to me.
23
10. Owners in older neighborhoods have the right to have protected properties,want
surrounding properties maintained, and peaceful neighborhoods.
11. I don't want to make people feel pushed out or uncomfortable.
12. I don't think inspections should have to be a burden.
13. We aren't anywhere near passing an ordinance; we are in the process or crafting one.
24
Rental Licensing Public Meeting
August 30, 2004
Summary of Small Group Comments and Recommendations
What are the benefits of rental licensing?
1. Investment property is a business and needs some regulation. These landlords are
rezoning an area without having to go through the processes, safeguards, and
expenses
2. Makes it easier to locate property manager/owner information and know who to
contact if there's a problem
3. Raises homeowners' standards
4. Owners held responsible
5. Strengthens enforcement of current codes
6. Addresses health and safety of tenants and neighborhoods
7. Maintains property values
8. Improve character, appearance, and quality of life in neighborhoods
9. Creates a way to identify absentee landlords
10. Deals with"kiddie condos"
11. Improves parking issues
12. Licensing might help make many current rental homes available for first time buyers
What are the drawbacks?
1. It is impossible for owners/property managers to control the behavior of tenants
2. We don't need anymore governmental regulations or bureaucracy
3. Why doesn't the City enforce the laws on the books? If you implement licensing, and
don't enforce it any better than the existing laws, what have you gained?
4. Limits the number of rental units available and drives up the cost of rents
5. Burdens responsible landlords
6. Doesn't address owner occupied homes and their problems
7. Decreases the amount of affordable housing in Fort Collins
8. Creates a class system
9. Feels discriminatory and an invasion of privacy
10. Wont solve the real problem
11. A database already exits and entities should work together to share information
12. Eviction is cumbersome
13. Cost of licensing
25
What methods are workable and enforceable?
1. Change 3-unrelated violation from a criminal to a civil offense
2. Violators subject to higher fines
3. Registration database with landlord's information
4. Fine landlords who don't register
5. CSU needs to increase housing and education
6. Enforce and put some teeth into existing codes
7. More communication of current codes
8. Lease addendums with penalties
9. Raise the price of fines
10. Use the existing Latimer County database
11. More education and information to tenants about violations
12. Use registration database fee to fund more police and code enforcement officers
13. Use neighborhood associations and homeowners' associations
14. CSU should require a"good neighboring"class
15. One car per renter
16. Enforce the 3-Unrelated Ordinance
17. Landlords need to submit leases to the City of Fort Collins
18. CSU should expel repeat offenders
19. License of occupancy inside the front door or on a window sticker
20. Education packet handed out by realtors
21. License rentals and owner-occupied homes
22. Hold tenants accountable for their violations
23. Charge for inspections only
24. Create an appeal review board
25. Beef up eviction procedures
26. Create a tiered fine system for repeat offenders
27. Establish special"gathering permits"
28. Better access to public information
29. Incentives for responsible landlords
30. Re-work zoning laws
26
Rolland Moore West Neighborhood Network(RMWNN)
September 20, 2004
Meeting Summary
This meeting was hosted and facilitated by the neighborhood organization. Staff guests included
Eric Hamrick, Kurt Kastein, Marty Tharp, Ray Martinez, Darin Atteberry, Peter Barnes, Beth
Sowder, Tess Heffernan, Felix Lee, and Ginny Sawyer. There were approximately 80
neighborhood attendees.
P. Neighbors presented a power point presentation describing the state of rentals in their
neighborhood
► An educational piece was presented on how to track police calls and follow-up on those cases
in municipal-court
► Four or five neighbors presented testimonials to their experiences living near rental property
► The Mayor and all Council members were given a chance to speak
► Staff addressed the rental licensing timeline and other specific questions
RMWNN has presented staff and Council with two position papers since April 2004. Those
papers and other information from the neighborhood can be found at:
www.rmwnn.ore
Main points presented by neighbors include:
• Rentals are a business that are really a"non-conforming use"in the neighborhood and
therefore should be regulated
• Neighbors believe in the 3-unrelated law and want to see it enforced
• Neighbors believe CSU has a role and responsibility in this issue
27
Colorado Apartment Association Luncheon
September 21, 2004
1. I am disappointed that the City doesn't admit that there is a database and access to
landlord information.
2. Did anyone from the City attend Boulder's meeting about the issue of 3 unrelated
people in a house and life partners?
3. Why is the Nuisance Ordinance not being enforced? Why create more regulation?
4. Before going"all or nothing", the City should see if having a database is successful.
5. Not all properties are problems, why penalize all of us?
6. I find it highly unbelievable that the City cannot find landlord information. What
about an ordinance that says landlords have to provide information? Does the
database have the capacity to carry more names?
7. What will the City do about irresponsible landlords that will continue to ignore the
rules and will not update information?
8. My property is in a trust and the City can still find my information.
9. I wish the City would recognize that landlords finance a home for other people and
the City shouldn't point a finger at anyone. CSU is cooperating.
10. It's irresponsible to add another layer with the current budget crunch.
11. My assumption is that nuisance issues are the problem and not health and safety
issues. Is this true for Council?
12. At the August 30`h Community Meeting, it was eye-opening to many people who
were amazed at the lengthy eviction process and that it takes 2 weeks in court, and a
judge has to evict. Also, that there has to be a 24 hour notice by the landlord to
inspect a home.
13. We(CAA)need to take a stand and write the Coloradoan about the eviction process
and let others know about it.
14. The City doesn't know where the rentals are, the neighbors know. Licensing
everyone is overkill.
15. Welcome to Stepford where your property has to be perfect. It comes to a point
where we're not going to get everyone to comply.
16. My rentals are by CSU. Is the City looking at on-street parking permits because it is
a problem?
17. Is CSU looking to build a parking structure?
18. Is there any way for CSU to issue parking permits for students living near campus?
19. If there is a liaison between the City and CSU, can there be a liaison between the
City and the rental community?
20. There used to be a class at CSU called"Rent Smart"that would get students to ask
questions of landlords, and it offered them 1 credit.
21. Where would we go to rally for more enforcement of current laws?
22. I have rentals near CSU and we have good enforcement from the City.
23. I can understand the need to address health and safety issues. I have a problem with
making the landlord responsible for the violator's actions.
24. It seems to me that the survey is biased and that City Council has already made their
decision.
28
25. hi May, the Nuisance Ordinance was strengthened and fines were increased. Is there
any thought to take some time to let it see how it's working and if the City is moving
in the right direction?
26. How is this information getting to City Council? Were Council members invited?
We have a done deal vocal community.
27. It's a good idea to have the minutes of this meeting and a delineation of ideas signed
by us and sent to all Council members.
28. The real problem is that the City doesn't have enough police. If you're not truthful,
you're wasting time.
29. There is a Property Managers Association and not a landlord association.
30. The City should have more resources for landlords and new landlords. (Online
resource,packet for new landlords to the area, list of members)
31. The City needs more money for enforcement.
32. I am a responsible landlord—I hand deliver my information to surrounding
properties.
33. Currently, there is no legal means of fmding out who the tenants are.
34. There needs to be a dorm education program for students who are exiting the dorms.
29
Associated Students of Colorado State University(ASCSU)
September 29, 200
1. What kind of feedback are you getting?
2. Are you tracking the amount of homeowners, landlords, tenants, etc that are
responding?
3. How will licensing be more effective than what is currently in place?
4. How effective are the other rental licensing examples in other cities?
a. How were students impacted cost wise?
5. Would landlord or owner be responsible for the inspection fee?
a. Buying a home requires an inspection anyway
6. Have you looked at Boulder as an example?
7. Is the City looking at avenues to license irresponsible landlords such as licensing
only after a certain number of violations?
8. With limited staff',how do you expect to control this?
9. It seems to me that zoning staff have become a quasi-landlords of the city and it
shouldn't be that way.
10. Seems to be the way things happen in the City where a decision is made before
really thinking about it and the repercussions.
11. Is the City's specific goal Health and Safety(H&S)or nuisances? The City can
easily address problems without requiring licensing for everyone.
12. Is the City getting more calls on nuisance or H&S issues?
13. Thus far, has the increase to nuisance fines decreased bad behavior?
a. Is there any other approach rather than adding more laws?
b. There are 25,000 students here that want to hang out and I don't think it
will have an impact.
14. I live on Howes Street and we didn't contribute to the riots but we feel the impact.
15. There should be better relationships between the Police and students.
16. What is the percentage of complaints to the City about homes in the CSU area?
17. Is the Party Partners program effective?
18. Landlords don't have the time or resources to babysit tenants or be responsible for
their behavior.
19. I think it would be effective if students had to go to Party Partners after we've
been informed that there is a problem.
a. Educate students before a big problem starts—mandatory lease addendum.
20. It would be extremely unfair if the City held owners accountable for tenants
actions. (student)
21. Kids intentionally move to certain areas because we know it's a fun time.
22. 3-Unrelated Ordinance forces students to break laws with landlords consent and
needs to be taken off the books.
23. I think a full year of data should be required to analyze the effectiveness of other
programs such as Party Partners and increased party enforcement.
a. There are Supreme Court ruling about excessive government takings.
b. A uniform lease addendum makes sense to me and the landlords and
students should abide by these,period.
30
24. Looks to me that the City is having a hard time determining the definition of a
tenant(in response to not knowing who might be living in a house).
25. Is the City compiling numbers on cost, feedback, etc?
26. The City needs to define the what H&S is meant by the City and by the neighbors.
The City's definition is structural and up to code. The neighbors definition is
tenant behavior concerning the neighborhood.
27. The City Attorney needs to define a legal binding term (in response to the concern
that rentals are a business).
28. If the City were to do inspections based on H&S reasons, there are plenty of
homes (I890's, etc)that would be cost prohibitive to upgrade.
a. Are you looking at any grandfathering clauses or exemptions?
29. Neighbors don't want to see any rentals in their neighborhoods,period.
30. Are homeowners subject to licensing? That's discrimination if not.
31. It seems like there are many unanswered questions and the City has a lot of
homework to do.
a. Why are you going after landlords when you can do effective education to
the students?
b. You're dragging responsible landlords along with you.
32. It's obvious CSU is a community within a community, are you looking at a
certain zone around CSU?
33. There are substandard properties and major issues that need to be addressed.
Landlords need to bring their properties up to code or get out of the game.
a. If their property was up to code, then landlords shouldn't be worried about
licensing.
34. I had no idea about being able to get a free inspection from the City if we had a
concern about our property. hi addition to educating students about behavior,the
City needs to educate people who are looking to rent about sub-standard
properties and H&S issues.
35. During semester changes people are paying more attention. It's a good time to
implement education when people are coming and going.
36. Students don't like requirements because it feels like we're not given the respect
for being a student renter. It assumes lack of responsibility.
a. Student's don't know the Health& Safety codes.
37. There should be a disclosure along with the lease addendum that delineates Health
& Safety standards and is signed by tenants.
38. What about a liaison between CSU and landlords where student housing has to be
certified/approved by that person.
a. It may be discriminatory.
39. 3-Unrelated should not be on the books.
a. Community should recognize that hostility is being created towards CSU
students, however, landlords have problems with non-student renters as
well.
b. I'm worried that licensing might have an anti-student flavor.
40. Tenants need to be educated more about their living spaces.
31
41. (In response to the comment"If their property was up to code, then landlords
shouldn't be worried about licensing"), I have 51 properties and they are all up to
code. It's not about money or compliance, it's about freedom.
42. I have personal experience of people not being happy with landlords. H&S seems
to be a backdoor way of getting a licensing program passed.
a. I was at the Rolland Moore West Neighborhood Network(RMWNN)
meeting and I can tell you that most of their homes wouldn't pass code
inspections.
b. RMWNN wants to control behavior but their tolerance level is very low—
They called Party Patrol about people slamming car doors when they got
out of the car.
c. RMWNN doesn't care about renters H&S. They should realize that they
bought property right next to CSU and this is a college town.
d. The solution is proper enforcement of current laws.
43. Affordable housing might be hampered.
44. Do you think that investors will pass on the fee to tenants?
45. (student) I think a zone around CSU should be looked at. Move students to that
area and inform new-comers to the community about those areas.
a. It's easier to focus on one area and you would have a controlled
environment.
46. A natural zone already exists around CSU.
47. If your house is sub-standard, it's against the law. We don't need rental licensing
to make it more illegal.
48. We have a situation where the City wants to implement another program, when
we have programs that should be working.
a. More enforcement(police)to know where the problems are.
b. Not hitting the problem directly.
Attachment B: Example Lease Addendum
LEASE ADDENDUM AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
This Addendum to Residential Rental Agreement is made this day of
and is incorporated into and shall be deemed to amend and
supplement the Residential Rental Agreement made by the undersigned Tenant and Landlord,
their heirs, successors and assigns, dated .The Residential Rental
Agreement and this Addendum pertain to the premises described in said agreement and located at
. This Addendum is
required by Fort Collins City Code Section ***
In addition to the covenants and obligations set forth in the aforementioned Residential Rental
Agreement,Tenant(s)and Landlord hereby covenant and agree as follows:
A.Landlord's Covenants and Obligations:
1. Landlord shall keep and maintain the leased premises in compliance with all applicable Codes
and Ordinances of the City of Fort Collins and all applicable state laws and shall keep the leased
premises in good and safe condition.
2.The Landlord shall be responsible for regularly performing all routine maintenance,
including lawn mowing and ice and snow removal,and for making any and all necessary repairs
in and around the leased premises,except for any specific tasks which the parties hereby agree
shall be delegated to the Tenant and which are identified as follows:
3.The Landlord shall promptly respond to reasonable complaints and inquiries from the
Tenant.
4. The Landlord shall comply with all applicable Codes and Ordinances of the City of Fort
Collins and all applicable provisions of the Landlord-Tenant Act of the State of Colorado.
B.Tenant's Covenants and Obligations:
1.Tenant shall comply with all applicable Codes and Ordinances of the City of Fort Collins and
all applicable state laws.
2.Tenant shall dispose of all rubbish, garbage and other waste from the leased premises in a clean
and safe manner and shall separate and place for collection all recyclable materials in compliance
with the City of Fort Collins's Solid Waste and Recycling Ordinances.
3. Tenant shall use and occupy the leased premises so as not to disturb the peaceful
enjoyment of adjacent or nearby premises by others.
4.Tenant shall not cause,nor permit nor tolerate to be caused, damage to the leased
premises,except for ordinary wear and tear.
5.The names of the tenants, including those under 18 years of age,who may occupy this unit:
Name of Tenant(s)
6. We acknowledge that we cannot park on the grass or across the public sidewalk and that the
Landlord provides off-street paved parking spaces or other parking areas as approved
by the City.
7. Compliance with all Federal, state laws and local ordinances,rules and regulations is required
under this lease.
C. Occupancy and Fines for over-occupancy. The undersigned acknowledge and agree agrees
that the maximum number of persons permitted within the regulated rental unit at any time shall
be . The undersigned acknowledge that we are responsible for complying with
the maximum occupancy limits of the City Code and that the City Code provides that violation of
the maximum occupancy limit can result in a$* fine for the first violation(the City Code also
provides that each day is considered a new violation)to the owner,agent and/or tenant.
D.Noise or Public Nuisance. Penalties for noise violations may result in civil and criminal
fines up to a maximum of$1,000 to the owner,operator,and/or tenant. A property is a public
nuisance if there are multiple violations of liquor,public health, safety or welfare laws and
ordinances. The penalties are substantial and may include eviction and forfeiture of personal
property,and may result in restrictions or revocation of the rental license.
Any violation of Fort Collins City Code may be deemed a public nuisance.
E. Legal Agent. This unit may have a legal agent, someone to whom the owner legally assigns
responsibility for all aspects of managing this unit. This unit does does not (CIRCLE ONE)
have a legal agent.
Agent Name:
Address: Phone:
We, the undersigned owner, legal agent,and tenants,have read the addendum,checked and
initialed the addendum in the spaces indicated,circled items indicated, and filled in the blanks
with the correct information. We acknowledge receipt of the List of Ordinances attached hereto
TENANT SIGNATURE(S)AND DATE:
**Note**All tenants,except minor children of tenants,must sign this form even if they have an
oral rental agreement.
OWNER SIGNATURE AND DATE: LEGAL AGENT
SIGNATURE AND DATE:
LIST OF APPLICABLE CITY ORDINANCES TO BE ATTACHED
Attachment C: Example Nuisance Parties Ordinance
East Lansing,Michigan Nuisance Party Code
DIVISION 5. NUISANCE PARTIES
Sec. 26-141. Declaration of nuisance.
A or party which is conducted on premises within the city and which, by
reason of the conduct of those persons in attendance, results in any one or more of the
following conditions or events occurring on neighboring public or private property:
public drinking or drunkenness; public urination or defecation; the unlawful sale,
furnishing, or consumption of intoxicating beverages; the unlawful deposit of trash or
litter; the destruction of property; the generation of pedestrian or unlawful vehicular
traffic, standing, or parking which obstructs the free flow of traffic or interferes with the
ability to render emergency services; excessive, unnecessary, or unusually loud noise
which disturbs the comfort, quiet, or repose of the neighborhood, including public
disturbances,brawls, fights, or quarrels; or conduct or condition which injures, or
endangers the safety or health of the neighborhood, or results in any indecent or obscene
conduct, or results in any immoral exhibition or indecent exposure by persons attending
the or party, is hereby declared to be an unlawful public nuisance.
(Code 1994,ch. 106, § 9.47)
Sec. 26-142. Prohibited;penalty.
Any person being the owner,occupant,tenant, or otherwise having any possessory
control, individually or jointly with others of any premises who either sponsors,
conducts, hosts, invites,or permits a or party which is or during the
course thereof becomes a public nuisance as defined by section 26-141 and which public
nuisance is either the intentional result of or within the reasonable expectations of the
person or persons having such possessory control is hereby deemed to have committed a
violation of this Code, and upon conviction shall be subject to the penalties as provided
by section 1-12 of this Code. In any prosecution for a violation of this section, proof of
specific intent shall not be required as a necessary element but proof of general criminal
intent shall be a necessary element.
(Code 1994, ch. 106, § 9.48)
Sec. 26-143. Payment of cost of abatement.
The cost of abating a nuisance as defined by section 26-141 shall, to the extent
reasonably necessary to protect the public health and safety, be charged against the
premises and the owner thereof as a single lot special assessment in accordance with
chapter 13 of the City Charter. Such costs shall include,but not be limited to, the
following expenses: East Lansing Police Department overtime expenses,public service
department of labor and equipment expenses, fire department and emergency services,
labor and equipment expenses,plus 15 percent of each of the foregoing expenses for
administrative burden.
(Code 1994, ch. 106, § 9.49)
Secs. 26-144--26-170. Reserved.
MMPI means an assembly of two or more individuals for any purpose,
unless all of the individuals attending the assembly are members of the same household
or immediate family.
(Code 1994, ch. 106, §§9.1, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.2, 9.2.3, 9.101(1))