Rewritten Columbia landlord law still being tweaked

Columbia landlords overall appear to have softened their resistance to a proposed updated watchdog law backed by neighborhood leaders, but some landlords remained staunchly against what they call unfair regulation.

Stakeholders on Monday brought their strongly held views again to a City Council committee, which said it isn’t yet ready to send to council the rewrite of city landlord rules.

“If you own a piece of property, the responsibility for what happens on that property is yours,” landlord Guy Jones said, articulating the opinions of landlords who agree with a proposed 11-page ordinance that would take effect July 1 if the full council accepts it.

The rewrite of Columbia’s 2009 landlord law would for the first time require rental permits for every apartment, impose fees and fines for violators and create a database that would allow police and code enforcers to reach absentee landlords. Critics say out-of-town landlords often ignore problems at their properties that turn into nuisances or blight.

On the other side of the landlord spectrum is Jennifer Gardner, who told the committee, “I am against this. Why do I have to pay (fees) to track down absentee landlords? If I am a troublesome landlord, send Mr. (police chief Skip) Holbrook to track me down,” said Gardner, who peppered the committee with questions.

Holbrook complains that current city law lacks teeth and keeps code enforcers from even knowing how many rental properties are in Columbia. State law makes it hard to force out-of-town and out-of-state landlords comply because authorities must serve violation documents to them in person.

After hearing reactions from a couple of dozen landlords, property owners, neighbors and lawyers, the committee asked the police department’s attorney to consider making even more changes to the draft law that has been a year in the making. Committee chairman Sam Davis said it’s unclear whether the proposal will be ready for council’s March 9 meeting.

Landlord John Clements complained that instead of putting more controls on landlords, police should more strictly enforce problems caused by tenants, such as illegal parking.

“Give ‘em a ticket,” Clements said, turning toward Holbrook. “Don’t come and politely tell them that it’s wrong.”

Neighborhood leaders from University Hill and Shandon, which are close to the University of South Carolina campus, said they endorse the version of the proposal updated since it was released in December.

“This is going to say, ‘We’re going to hold you accountable,’” University Hill resident Kathryn Fenner said of neighborhoods where owner-occupied homes have been converted to rental properties, often to provide housing for USC’s exploding student population. “I think it’s only fair.”

Bob Guild of the Granby neighborhood in south Columbia said the new law – by requiring the names, addresses and contact information of landlords – would help, especially for absentee landlords.

“When tenants aren’t responsive, I’d like to have a number I can call,” Guild said.

Landlords like Raj Aluri, who said he owns 13 houses in the University Hill neighborhood alone, worries about property owners trying to make tenants behave properly.

Aluri said he bans parties in houses he owns. But this weekend he went to a house where tenants were partying. “‘You know, guys, you can’t have parties,’” Aluri said he told them. “I thought they were going to beat me up. A landlord can only do so much.”

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Rewritten Columbia landlord law still being tweaked."