City getting snowed by lazy landlords
The city fielded a record number of complaints about unshoveled sidewalks this winter and is looking to overhaul its policies on clearing the way when property owners fail to do it themselves.
But in one incident involving a university neighborhood, the city chose to look the other way and let residents slip and slide on the ice.
David Patek, the public works director, discussed the situation during Tuesday's Council meeting. He said he does not have a final count but that the number of complaints about unshoveled snow could be about 2,000 for the past winter season.
Patek will be recommending changes in city policy, including higher fees, once his department has completed its analysis.
Currently the city fields complaints about unshoveled walks and then sends a contractor to clean up the snow and ice. The property owner gets billed for the cost of snow removal.
But Patek thinks the city's fee is too low. "People are taking advantage of us," he said. The city is unable to get snow removed right away, which allows property owners to wait through four or five snowstorms before the city contractor arrives, he explained.
The property owner may have to pay "$50 for five storms'" worth of snow, Patek said, which is cheaper than paying to have the snow removed after each storm. For property owners, "that's money ahead."
Landlords are some of the worse offenders. "We had one case where we had complaints from handicapped renters," Patek said.
But in another case involving a campus area neighborhood, the city decided not to take action. "Everyone had an inch of ice. We had to let them go," he said. "We knew people had done the best they could."
But in one incident involving a university neighborhood, the city chose to look the other way and let residents slip and slide on the ice.
David Patek, the public works director, discussed the situation during Tuesday's Council meeting. He said he does not have a final count but that the number of complaints about unshoveled snow could be about 2,000 for the past winter season.
Patek will be recommending changes in city policy, including higher fees, once his department has completed its analysis.
Currently the city fields complaints about unshoveled walks and then sends a contractor to clean up the snow and ice. The property owner gets billed for the cost of snow removal.
But Patek thinks the city's fee is too low. "People are taking advantage of us," he said. The city is unable to get snow removed right away, which allows property owners to wait through four or five snowstorms before the city contractor arrives, he explained.
The property owner may have to pay "$50 for five storms'" worth of snow, Patek said, which is cheaper than paying to have the snow removed after each storm. For property owners, "that's money ahead."
Landlords are some of the worse offenders. "We had one case where we had complaints from handicapped renters," Patek said.
But in another case involving a campus area neighborhood, the city decided not to take action. "Everyone had an inch of ice. We had to let them go," he said. "We knew people had done the best they could."
posted by Miles Maguire at 8:35 PM
2 Comments:
Seems a bit unfair to landlords. When I was a renter I believe all of my leases had the contingency that I was responsible for snow removal and trash removal. When does the responsibility fall on the resident of the property? Sure it is easy to blame the landlord, but what about the tenant? I have had plenty of neighbors(not renters) who do not keep up with their snow removal responsibilities. I never once called the city because I felt it wasnt my business. It is interesting how we are focused on rentals here!
Jack Straw
The city holds the property owner, not the renter, responsible.
If the property owner doesn't pay up, the amount gets added to the tax bill.
It was my sense at the Council meeting that the city was seeing more of a problem with properties that were not owner-occupied.
And my personal experience in walking around the university neighborhood is that a lot of rentals don't get shoveled--although it's also true that there are some stretches of Algoma Boulevard, including some of the priciest properties, that don't get shoveled either.
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