SLO to re-evaluate rental home inspection program
The San Luis Obispo City Council plans to revisit its controversial rental housing inspection program at a meeting in March.
Mayor Jan Marx directed city staff to put the item on the agenda for discussion after city staff has had a chance to assess the issue more thoroughly and gather information about its ongoing impacts.
Marx, who is running for re-election, has supported the program and voted in favor it, saying rental housing tenants need more protection from landlords who neglect their properties. But more recently, she has said it needs a thorough evaluation to make sure that it is not having “unintended negative consequences on residents.”
The program, designed to protect renters from unsafe conditions, has come under criticism from some who say it’s unconstitutional and an invasion of privacy rights.
It was adopted by a majority of the City Council in May 2015 and subjects rental homes in San Luis Obispo to routine inspections on a three-year cycle to determine if they conform to health and safety standards.
Councilman Dan Carpenter and two others are leading an effort to repeal the ordinance.
This story was originally published September 22, 2016 at 4:06 PM with the headline "SLO to re-evaluate rental home inspection program."