Carol McCracken (Post # 2,255)
“Our office is focused on getting the remaining landlords registered,” said Art Howe, Administrator, of the newly created Housing Safety Office at city hall yesterday. “That is our goal and that is why we are here,” he said.
The city estimates there are about 4,000 landlords with roughly 17,000 rental units in Portland. So far, the three person office has registered just over 3,000 landlords – both in-state and out-of-state. That leaves about 500 landlords left to register.
Howe also said that $300,000. has been billed to landlords at $35. 00 per unit. Two-thirds of that amount has been collected. The revenue from this source will finance the three office staff as well as inspectors when they are hired. Landlords are offered cost reductions when specific conditions are met for their rental units.
The original plan called for a $100.00 a day fine for landlords who are late in registering their units. The city is currently reviewing that policy, The legal department is involved in the review.
The Housing Safety Office was set up in response to a recommendation by a fire/code inspections task force. The task force was set up by a former city employee Sheila Hill-Christian last year. The task force was a response to a fire on Noyes Street in which multiple lives were lost.
The Housing Safety Office is located in Room 26 of City Hall.