The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Business

March 9, 2010

Higher fees to inspect Sharon rental units discussed

By Courtney L. Anderson

SHARON — Sharon council members Thursday tossed around the idea of raising rental inspection fees from $3 per unit to $15 per dwelling.

City Manager Tom Lavorini suggested the amount after council in January discussed increasing the charge to help cover personnel costs.

Currently, two firefighters handle the inspection of rental properties, which takes about 30 minutes each and involves a checklist of things to examine. The goal is to make sure there’s adequate safety provisions in the city’s rental housing and to get fire personnel familiar with the structures, Lavorini said.

Council President Mike Donato, a retired city firefighter, said the costs of doing the inspections are not necessarily the $20 or so per hour for each man doing them.

“Quite honestly, they’re there for 24 hours anyway,” he said of the firefighters. “We’re not paying them extra money to go do (inspections.)”

“I think the fee that’s suggested is too low,” Councilman Ed Palanski said, adding that landlords should see the inspections as a cost of doing business in Sharon.

Donato said he didn’t have a problem with setting the charge at $15 and Councilman Frank Connelly said he didn’t think it was too high. Connelly asked how the rate compares to that in other communities.

Lavorini said it’s “high and low” depending on what you compare it to. He said Sharpsville charges $45 for a 3-year license and New Castle charges $100 per unit every two years.

Councilman Victor Heutsche expressed concern about those who own a number of houses having to pay so much more. Someone who owns 20 rental units in the city would have to pay $300 over two years.

Heutsche said some could think the city was discriminating against certain property owners if, for example, the high rise apartments were not charged per unit. And some might think the property taxes they pay should cover the cost, Heutsche said.

He said he fears a higher fee would drive good landlords out of the city, where 30 to 40 percent of the properties are rental units.

“We have that situation in part because it’s just to easy to do business,” Palanski said.

Palanski said maybe a fee structure could take into account how well landlords take care of their properties.

Heutsche also said he didn’t see why two firefighters need to go on each inspection. He noted that the city health inspector is female and “she goes into all sorts of shady places by herself.”

The city began rental inspections about six years ago and the reviews are required for a two-year license or when a property changes hands.

There are about 2,500 rental units in Sharon.

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