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ILA Letters
& Press Releases
Below is an archive issue from of
our Iowa Landlord Association letters and press releases. Please
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Press Release
24
October, 2002
For Immediate Release
Subject: Rental Inspection
Fees in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa - The Iowa Landlord
Association, today announces its opposition to the recent proposal
before the Des Moines City Council, to increase inspection fees for
rental units.
Under this proposal, the City of Des Moines
plans to raise an additional six-hundred thousand dollars
($600,000.00) a year in additional revenues for the
City.
Unfortunately, the burden of this additional fee
structure falls squarely on the shoulders of Des Moines Landlords
with an effective sixty-nine (69%) to a hundred and thirty-two
percent (132%) increase in fee costs at a time when inflation has
been extremely low for the last several years. Additionally,
re-inspection fees that have never been assessed are included in the
new fee structure.
The proposed inspection fees will be far
in excess of like fees in the Polk County suburban areas. Couple
this with that fact that Rental Property is already taxed at close
to 100% of its assessed value as opposed to owner-occupied tax rates
which enjoy a roll back of around 48%. It is easy to see why the
additional burden is troublesome to landlords.
Ultimately,
the inspection fee increases will need to be passed on to the
individual renters. The increased rents will impact those tenants
least able to afford any changes in their budget.
Landlords
feel that the outcome of increasing inspection fees as proposed
would only create more homelessness and hardships for tenants as
well as creating more blight in Des Moines' rental housing market
due to the reduced funds that are used to maintain and renovate
rental housing. It is obvious to the membership of the Iowa Landlord
Association that the City of Des Moines needs to review and rethink
its Inspection Fee Structure.
# # # # #
The Iowa
Landlord Association
P.O. Box 13246
Des Moines, Iowa
50310-0246
515-270-2796
Directors: David Sollenbarger &
Dennis McDonald
Website: http://www.iowalandlord.org/
e-mail: ilaservices@iowalandlord.org
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