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By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 10:20 p.m. EST, Nov 05, 2009
Landlords who own property in Barberton will have to register their properties with the city starting Jan. 1.
The property owners will also have to pay $40 for each unit registered.
Barberton voters narrowly passed the rental registration program, known as Issue 15, by 2,973 to 2,782 votes Tuesday.
Mayor Bob Genet, who introduced the measure, said he was concerned about deteriorating properties and the stability of neighborhoods after finding that about one-third of the city's 3,000 homes are rental.
The mayor said he wants to make sure landlords maintain their properties. The creation of a database of all rentals will help with that, he said.
''We have had a lot of problems where tenants call the city to contact their landlords and we don't have access to any information on the landlord,'' Genet said. ''Many of them are hard to track down because they don't even live in Barberton.''
The idea has been debated for months.
After several meetings between city officials and landlords, the initial registration fee was reduced from $60 to $40.
Some landlords opposed the fees, complaining that good property owners are being penalized for a few bad apples. There was a push for the city to adopt a fee schedule similar to Akron, where fees are just $15 per unit.
The City Council passed the measure in June.
Barberton landlords banded together and decided to take the issue to voters. Despite a possible glitch in the referendum proposal over the number of signatures required, the city's law director recommended that the council place the issue on the ballot.
''We fought a good fight and did all we could do,'' said John Baker of the Barberton Property Owners Political Action Committee. ''I guess we didn't convince enough people. I'll call a meeting within the next week or two and see what the group wants to do next, whether to take it to court or not.''
The mayor, who is also a landlord, said not all landlords in the city opposed the plan.
Genet owns three double-unit apartments and two houses that he rents out. He said he's pleased that residents supported the legislation to make all landlords more accountable.
Genet said landlords who maintain their properties will be rewarded.
If there are no citations within three years, the $40 fee will be reduced 50 percent, to $20 per unit.
The registration fees will go into a fund geared toward neighborhood improvements, including acquisitions and demolitions.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
Landlords who own property in Barberton will have to register their properties with the city starting Jan. 1.
The property owners will also have to pay $40 for each unit registered.
Barberton voters narrowly passed the rental registration program, known as Issue 15, by 2,973 to 2,782 votes Tuesday.
Mayor Bob Genet, who introduced the measure, said he was concerned about deteriorating properties and the stability of neighborhoods after finding that about one-third of the city's 3,000 homes are rental.
The mayor said he wants to make sure landlords maintain their properties. The creation of a database of all rentals will help with that, he said.
''We have had a lot of problems where tenants call the city to contact their landlords and we don't have access to any information on the landlord,'' Genet said. ''Many of them are hard to track down because they don't even live in Barberton.''
The idea has been debated for months.
After several meetings between city officials and landlords, the initial registration fee was reduced from $60 to $40.
Some landlords opposed the fees, complaining that good property owners are being penalized for a few bad apples. There was a push for the city to adopt a fee schedule similar to Akron, where fees are just $15 per unit.
The City Council passed the measure in June.
Barberton landlords banded together and decided to take the issue to voters. Despite a possible glitch in the referendum proposal over the number of signatures required, the city's law director recommended that the council place the issue on the ballot.
''We fought a good fight and did all we could do,'' said John Baker of the Barberton Property Owners Political Action Committee. ''I guess we didn't convince enough people. I'll call a meeting within the next week or two and see what the group wants to do next, whether to take it to court or not.''
The mayor, who is also a landlord, said not all landlords in the city opposed the plan.
Genet owns three double-unit apartments and two houses that he rents out. He said he's pleased that residents supported the legislation to make all landlords more accountable.
Genet said landlords who maintain their properties will be rewarded.
If there are no citations within three years, the $40 fee will be reduced 50 percent, to $20 per unit.
The registration fees will go into a fund geared toward neighborhood improvements, including acquisitions and demolitions.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Canton, OH
Posted 10:25 PM, 11/05/2009
. ..Sweet. . The Mayor is a Barberton Boy who knows what he is doing. . Props. . .
Akron, Oh
Posted 12:17 AM, 11/06/2009
Do they register the houses in Kentucky? Oh, I meant Barbertucky............sorry
akron, oh
Posted 06:02 AM, 11/06/2009
and the renters get a rent increase to cover the fee......govt controls dont work
Barberton, Oh
Posted 09:57 AM, 11/06/2009
FltFlo: Wow, now that is a witty comment. Those of you from Crakron, oh, i meant Akron sure are funny......sorry.
akron, oh
Posted 11:17 AM, 11/06/2009
So what happens if they don;t pay the fee? Will they be hauled into court over and over again? This is useless legislation. I wouldn't register my property regardless.
