July 10, 2023 8:30p
(WGTD)---Property owners who were upset with a proposed mandatory inspections program in Kenosha filled a meeting room Monday night, prompting the city’s Public Safety and Welfare committee to postpone consideration of the matter.
The proposal would require landlords to register each of their rental housing units and provide contact information. It also would allow inspectors to conduct inspections even without a formal complaint having been filed.
Alderperson Ruth Dyson is one of the co-sponsors. "I have a lot of constituents that live in apartments or homes where they are rundown," she said. "They try to get the landlords to do repairs. And some have even moved because the landlord would not do the repairs."
Landlord John Savaglio countered that the measure isn’t needed. "There (are) enough laws on the books right now to take care of any issues that tenants have," he said. "There have automatic exterior inspections. Anytime they can call for any violation they'll have six inspectors there within an hour."
The committee voted unanimously to delay any action on the proposal until its Aug. 14th regular meeting in hopes that the two sides could reach a compromise.
Lydia Spottswood, a former alderperson who currently sits on the Redevelopment Authority, was among those in the audience who suggested a delay. Spottswood said something, though, needs to be done as the number of rental properties seems to be growing. "Because there's been this real shift in the value of rental property and there's this high, high demand, more and more single family homes are now being bought up more often than not by out of town people. They're buying them in bulk...so you're seeing a race to the top in prices but a race to the bottom in maintenance."
Spottswood announced her candidacy for Kenosha mayor last week. The only other candidate in the race—so far—is Alderman Dave Bogdala. Bogdala was in the audience as well, then needed to leave in order to attend another committee meeting.
Public Safety and Welfare chair Jan Michalski said the ordinance is patterned after one that’s been in effect in Eau Claire. "It's been working very well for them," said Michalski, who added that he wouldn't necessarily be against any amendments to Kenosha's proposed ordinance.
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