The interesting thing is, micromanagement often looks really good on paper.
The City of Colorado Springs’ Code Enforcement Unit (which sounds like it should be part of Big Brother Nineteen Eighty Four, does it not?) has recently proposed a new “Rental Unit Registration Ordinance” which would require the registration of all residential housing units to “maintain the health, safety and welfare of citizens who live in rental housing.”
The Gazette, based in Colorado Springs, posted an opinion article revealing that if the proposal goes through, there will be a per-unit fee of $10 unless the property owner completes the offered education classes, which would then bring the fee down to $1 per unit. In addition, the article goes on to theorize that the revenue generated from the fees would essentially keep the Code Enforcement Unit from being cut from the budget in 2010.
Now, not being a resident of the Colorado Springs area, but taking only the theory of this into consideration, it seems like a good idea on paper. Residences are all registered, there’s another check and balance in place, there’s the offer of education, and an incentive to lower the program’s cost for rental property owners.
But how will this work in practice? As The Gazette author points out, it is another fee which, in a way, penalizes the property and residential income-producing property owners of the city. In these times of economic duress, is this really a necessary program? Moreover, as a private enterprise and not part of government housing, shouldn’t property managers be free of this check and balance?
The city is opening it up to its residents for comment. Hosted by members of the police department, hear details about the proposition and voice your opinion at one of the following meetings:
- July 14, 6 p.m., Falcon Division Community Room
- July 15, 6 p.m., Police Operations Center Community Room
It will be interesting to see the reaction of rental owners and tenants alike with this new proposed system and fee. Does this sound like a worthy program? Or a way to keep a committee afloat?
