MAUMEE, Ohio — The Lucas County Board of Elections has decided to take the controversial ordinance on Maumee rental properties out of the hands of the city and put it in the hands of voters on Nov. 5.
There is still a lot of raw emotion when it comes to proposed rental property regulations in Maumee.
"What I'm fighting for is the right to eliminate or not have this law being put in place, this ordinance approved," said Colleen LaChapelle a real estate agent, who lives in Maumee.
Maumee wants landlords to ensure their properties meet various regulations based on when they were built, like a bathroom on every floor that has a bedroom and making sure wiring and insulation upgrades are done.
There was a move to get an ordinance on the ballot last year, but it didn't happen. The Lucas County BOE now says a change like this should be put to voters.
"I think their boundary on being invasive and wanting to get into properties to inspect them," LaChapelle said. "It's a resident, it's my home, I live there, I pay my rent, is what I was getting from the tenants and I don't want the invasion or them have the ability to judge my living."
Dozens of residents fought the ordinance last year, arguing landlords would pass on additional expenses to tenants.
When the ordinance appears on the November ballot, there will be those who support it, too.
"I think it's really important for rental properties to keep up the properties in the environment for the residents," said Maumee resident Lena Barrett.
But LaChapelle is adamant that this is the wrong move for the city at the wrong time.
"It's a huge impact if this is not voted down," she said. "It's a significant impact on the city being able to make decisions like this and be invasive and invade your privacy and, again, overreach of government and my living."