The
pilot program that Bellingham’s Planning & Community Development Committee decided
to move forward with will inspect rental properties to make sure that they meet
basic life and safety regulations. Gene Knutson, committee member and 2nd
ward city council representative, said this program will have four elements,
registration, inspection, education and consequence. Knutson also said that he
hopes this will get landlords and tenants to work together and solve this
problem. Exactly what the problem is between landlords and tenants is unclear
at this point, but the Planning & Community Development Committee plan to
find out by registering and inspecting all rental properties in the city. The
Committee cites a lack in renter’s knowledge about their rights as tenants as a
contributing factor for this problem.
A
study by Western Washington University’s Campus Community Coalition, conducted
in the spring of 2012, found that 75.2% out of 846 student renters surveyed
said that they did not know of a resource to contact in case of conflict with
their landlord. Josh Moore, Western student and Barkley neighborhood renter
since Aug. 2012, backed this up by saying he is not currently aware of any
legal resources for renters. Education will not only be focused toward renters,
this pilot program will also aim to educate landlords about their rights.
Links:
·
Planning & Community Development Committee
·
Residential Landlord Tenant Act
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