MAUMEE, Ohio — Maumee City Council heard comment in a public meeting Tuesday night on a proposed ordinance that would make changes to the way rental properties are regulated.
The ordinance would retrofit all properties to new current standards, as well as punish housing providers who don't comply. Some of the regulations include providing a bathroom on every floor that contains a bedroom and installing new insulation.
Housing providers who fail to do so could face fines or other legal action.
Residents and housing providers expressed their concern with provisions in the ordinance.
"When we saw the ordinance we got extremely concerned about everything that it said," housing provider and resident Megan Hornsby said. "There are so many components of it we would be unable to comply with."
Mayor Richard Carr said the ordinance requirements would prevent blight, and bring down the risk of gun violence.
"The enactment and ... enforcement of the property maintenance ordinance with significant penalties is the most effective means of preventing blight," Carr said.
Insurance agent Richard Hamilton said the standards aren't practical though.
"Extremely expensive fixes, and it looks like it's forcing people to upgrade properties that have already been grandfathered in from previous ordinances they already met," Hamilton said.
Others opposing the ordinance at the meeting said the costs of improvements would be in the tens of thousands and force renters out on the street.
"When they say they're actually trying to help tenants, what they're going to do is put them out of housing and make it unaffordable for them to stay," housing provider Anna Mills said.
Carr said he expects there will be more discussions and changes to the language of the ordinance, and housing providers hope the city can use existing laws to target the bad property owners, instead of all owners.