Austin Councile passes one of two rental registration plans

Week #4 Article #2

 

1.    Sarah Coppola (2013, September 27) Austin Council passes one of two rental registration plans. Austin American Statesman

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/austin-council-passes-one-of-two-rental-registrati/nZ8cz/

2.    Category of problem: Unsafe or insanitary conditions with rental properties

3.    Level of problem: Local

4.    This article concerns: A plan to keep better track and impose penalties on rentals properties that are unsafe or insanitary for people to live in, which is a potential policy that is being considered to help a problem/issue that individuals/families face.

5.     Importance/affect on families/individuals: This will affect families/individuals living in rental properties by let them be unsure that they live in a home that is safe and up to code.

6.    My input: I feel that the first proposal where all apartments’ complexes and other rental properties should be register with the city and be inspected regularly should already be a policy for rental properties no matter how many times they have or have not been cited for health-and-safety code violations but I guess it’s not. I think every rental property no matter what type should have to be inspected at least once a year after the property itself is at least five years old. However, I think it is going to be hard for the city of Austin to get all the properties register because they are so many people renting out their homes as a private company. As for second proposal which has not passed yet, I don’t agree with it. I don’t think the city should give more attention to the “problem” properties within just because they are in rougher neighborhoods because I feel that the city would be profiling those communities in a negative way.