Richmond considers rental inspections to rein in slumlords
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Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
City leaders are in talks to establish Richmond's first rental inspection program.
Why it matters: Tenants living in properties with health and safety violations currently have limited options when it comes to holding landlords accountable.
- And advocates say many are hesitant to push back against problem landlords because they fear losing their housing.
How it works: State code allows local governments to set up districts where apartments would have to be inspected for code violations prior to being rented.
- The arrangement shifts the onus of enforcement onto the city and away from the tenant.
Yes, but: City leaders say they're reluctant to formally designate certain neighborhoods as blighted and in need of inspection, worrying it could depress property values and raise the cost of property and fire insurance.
- And state code prohibits running the program on a city-wide basis.
What they're saying: Councilwoman Ellen Robertson worried it could amount to a modern-day redlining.
- "When my neighborhood is considered a blighted neighborhood, it has a direct impact on my ability to purchase insurance at a reasonable rate," she said during a recent council meeting.
- She also worried tenants whose apartments were deemed unsafe could wind up homeless in the absence of other affordable housing options.
City planning director Kevin Vonck agreed. He proposed establishing the inspection program without any set districts and to set up a way for tenants having issues with their landlords to opt in.
- He also suggested the city begin requiring landlords to obtain business licenses, which he said would give officials more insight into rental practices and ownership in the city limits.
What's next: City Council members expect Mayor Stoney's administration to formally introduce an ordinance for consideration next year.