City-Wide Rental Property Inspection Bill Given Preliminary Approval

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Every year, city and university officials take a close look at the rental properties that students live in and they look for potential safety hazards and violations that could have an effect on renters.

But a bill that was given preliminary approval in Pittsburgh City Council would require a city-wide inspection program for 40,000 rental properties in the city and would require owners to be licensed to rent.

It also requires out-of-town owners to identify local agents so they can be readily contacted.

Council brought the mayor's chief of staff, Kevin Acklin to the table for today's debate.

"We'll have information for the bad landlords to take them to court with that information and know who they are and that's obviously what council approved as well as to have them pay for the cost of this increased inspection," said Acklin.

But there were a lot of questions. While the process of identifying landlords has been a problem, some councilmembers think the bill will not necessarily change much immediately.

"Over and over again neighbors have testified," councilmember Darlene Harris told Acklin. "The landlords don't show up. They don't pay their fines. What are you going to do with the people that live there?" Harris asked.

"Well what are your ideas?" replied Acklin, "because what I hear is you're fighting for slumlords today," he said.
"My idea is it would go to the courts," replied Harris. "So we can't say what would really happen."

If the bill is given final approval next week it would take effect next year but it could take three years before all of the rental properties in the city are inspected under this law.