Expanding an inspection program would drive up the costs of renting in Baltimore County, landlords said Tuesday.
The argument came as county lawmakers debated taking countywide a rental registration program, championed as a means to crack down on absentee landlords who allow their properties to deteriorate or cram too many tenants into one unit.
The proposal targets boarding houses and single-family houses converted into multiple rental units, but excludes apartment buildings.
“It?s not just dealing with problem property owners,” said Councilman Vince Gardina, a bill sponsor. “It?s also dealing with the public safety of the tenants.”
A test version of the program in 13 communities failed, according to an October 2006 audit. Inspectors visited only five of the communities since the program launched in 2001.
Council Chairman Sam Moxley suggested lawmakers delay a vote, scheduled for Monday, until a more conclusive report is prepared.
County administrators said they lacked the staff to perform inspections under the pilot program. The new measure calls for a privatized inspection process, requiring landlords to pay for their own inspections, choosing from a list of approved contractors. Inspectors will look for, among other items, hardwired smoke detectors, hot water, plumbing and a working furnace.
Landlords who fail to register with the county could face fines of $1,000 per day.
Industry associations, who are fighting the proposal, said Tuesday that a limited supply of contractors would drive up inspection costs, thus increasing rent. Larry LeDoyen, who owns 10 rental properties in the county, said the program unfairly burdens responsible landlords who maintain their houses.
“My properties are usually better than my neighbors?,” he said. “They are in great shape, inside and out.”
Community leaders said rental houses invite noise, trash and vandalism into otherwise quiet neighborhoods.
Ed Kilcullen, vice president of the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, pointed to 35 Victorian houses in Towson Manor, once rented to students but now vacant.
“They were just deplorable, and they were taking advantage of students desperate for off-campus housing,” Kilcullen said.
