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ILA Letters
& Press Releases
Below is an archive issue from of
our Iowa Landlord Association letters and press releases. Please
scroll down to read through this web page. Press the BACK arrow to
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Iowa Landlord
Association
December, 2002 E-Mail Bulletin
Wednesday, December
4th, 2002
WELCOME !!!
This ILA E-News Bulletin
contains IMPORTANT information for Des Moines Landlords. These
issues that affect Des Moines landlords may soon substantially
impact other landlords in other municipalities in Polk and other
counties.
IN THIS MONTH'S
UPDATE:
=======================
--> CURRENT MEMBER ACCESS
INFORMATION
--> NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTION RENTAL CODE
-->
LETTER FROM BEN BISHOP, ADMINISTRATOR,
CITY OF DES MOINES -
NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTIONS DIVISION
Please Note: The
"Members-Only" password changes monthly. Consequently, you will want
to watch for these "ILA E-News Bulletins" in order to know the
current "Members-Only" user name and
password.
==============================================
THIS
MONTH'S MEMBER ACCESS INFORMATION...
The following member
access code will provide entry to the "Members Only" section of the
Web site. While this access code will changes periodically, we
request this be kept confidential.
When you access certain
parts of the ILA website, you will be passed on to an ILA Member
Access page that has a combination lock for you to enter in an
access code. To sequence the lock, CLICK on the letters/numbers with
the access code below:
The current ILA Members Website access
code is: AB13524
If you do have a problem using this secured
access, please send us an email message to make us aware at: information@iowalandlord.org
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NEIGHBORHOOD
INSPECTION RENTAL CODE
For Des Moines Landlords and Property
Managers:
Public meeting regarding the rewrite of the
Neighborhood inspections Rental Code: Chapter 26, Article IV of the
Des Moines Municipal Code.
To be held: December 13, 2003 a
Friday at Des Moines City Council chambers at 11:00AM to 1
PM.
A copy of the proposed code is available at the Cities
web site:
http://www.ci.des-moines.ia.us/
We encourage all Des Moines Landlord members to attend this
meeting on the Friday, the 13th of December! If you cannot make it
to the meeting, please e-mail or fax Mr. Bishop your concerns on
these points brought out in his letter (see below).
-->
It would also be helpful in your e-mail response to Mr. Bishop if
you would "cc:" (carbon copy) information@iowalandlord.org
so we may consolidate and coordinate the responses.
<--
Our immediate concerns about the letter are:
1.
Why adopt a code that is overkill as far as smoke
detectors.
2. Gas fired furnace can be checked by the
landlord unless they feel unqualified to do it; then they can get
someone who is qualified. This is just an added cost.
3. We
feel that ALL complaints must be first addressed with the landlord,
not just other than health and safety.
4. Eliminating classes
of violation is a way to drastically increases
re-inspections.
5. What are the new registration fees to be
used for?
6. Bills sent out after the inspections are a way
to collect charges for re-inspections.
These are some of our
immediate concerns but surely not all of them. We need your input
and support at the meeting. The following is Ben Bishop's
Letter:
==============================================
THE
LETTER FROM BEN BISHOP, ADMINISTRATOR, NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTIONS
DIVISION
The Letter from Ben Bishop,
Administrator
Neighborhood Inspections Division
Community
Development
602 East First Street
Des Moines, Iowa
50309
Subject: Your input is solicited for the Rewrite of the
Neighborhood Inspections Rental Code.
Dated November 26,
2002
City Staff has recently completed a rewrite of Chapter
26, Article IV of the Municipal Code. This section deals with rental
code inspections. We believe that we have made substantial positive
improvements in the wording and organization of the code. It is my
hope that each of you will agree.
There are relevant and material
changes to the code that you may not be supportive of. It is my
desire to work out those issues before the code is
finalized.
The substantive changes are as follows:
1.
Adoption of the International Building Codes (This code requires
smoke alarms inside and outside of each bedroom and that trash cans
be present on the property.
2. Gas fired furnace inspections
every 2/3 years.
3. $150. administrative fee if taken to the
Housing Appeals Board (HAB) and $65. administrative fee if taken to
the board but complied prior to the HAB.
4. Other than health
and safety issues complaints must be first addressed with the
landlord.
5. The classifications of violations is
gone.
6. Agents will be recognized who reside in Polk County
and any contiguous county.
7. $65 registration fee for all
new construction that does not require a certificate for the first
24/36 months.
8. Certificates will be issued when the
property complies and bills will be sent at the completion of the
process not at the beginning; fees not paid will be assessed against
the property.
9. The public nuisance section has been
rewritten to be more descriptive of exactly what constitutes a
public nuisance.
A fresh copy has been posted on the
Cities web page (it is on the front-page extreme right hand column).
This copy is updated. It is not, however, in final form. Your input
is very important to us.
You may communicate your ideas to me
either by fax 515-237-1746, by E-mail: bcbishop@ci.des-moines.ia.us
or in a public meeting to be held in the City Council Chamber from
11AM to 1PM on December 13, 2002.
Thanks for your
consideration
Signed: Ben Bishop
Note: City web
site: http://www.ci.des-moines.ia.us/
Email to Ben Bishiop: bcbishop@ci.des-moines.ia.us
==============================================
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are presently subscribed to the ILA E-News Bulletin, a service of
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ILA-NEWS
=======================
Iowa Landlord
Association
P.O. Box 13246
Des Moines, IA 50310
Phone:
515-270-2796
Fax: 515-255-0675
Email: information@iowalandlord.org
Web: http://www.iowalandlord.org/
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