Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - The City of Syracuse is currently considering new standards for landlords. If the City's Common Council approves, a new rental registry would generate a list of approved landlords who it believes take care of their property and pay their bills on time.
The initiative for the rental registry began during the last years of former Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll's tenure. At the time, it failed because it was too expensive and presented a burden on landlords who are in good standing without being able effectively deal with disreputable landlords.
"The purpose was to actually focus on those particular landlords who were putting tenants in harm's way, but it hasn't been able to serve that purpose. We've been too wrapped around trying to keep up with all the provisions over-burdening the landlords who are trying to do good things," said Corporation Counsel Juanita Perez Williams.
The new rental registry would put the homes of "good" landlords on a public "preferred landlord" list. In order to qualify for such a list, the landlord's record will need to be free of code violations and all bills and taxes associated with the property must be paid off.
"We're going to reward the preferred landlords, if you will, those that are doing good things. And they're not going to have to pay the fee with this new rental registry policy. And in fact, their inspections can be completed with an affidavit," Perez Williams said.
Williams said that under the new law, landlords who fail to register and allow code violations on their properties will be fined immediately. The City will no longer wait for housing court to impose the fines. Tickets will be issued and fines will accrue.
The Corporation Counsel says the proposed rental registry law will give city codes inspectors more time to focus on the bad properties.
The Corporation Counsel says the Codes and Assessment Departments were closely involved in drafting the rental registry law. Perez Williams says the final draft should be under review by a Common Council committee in early august. She added that she'll be urging quick council approval of these new rules for landlords.
