New ordinance seeks to register rental properties

Council members hope the new law will help

enforcement of local safety and building codes
By:Laura Pelner
   Residential rental properties may soon undergo a
registration and inspection program if the Manville Borough Council passes
an ordinance it introduced at its regular meeting on June 11.
   The proposed ordinance states that Manville has a need for
an "organized inspection program of residential units within the borough."
   These inspections would help ensure rental units meet
borough and state standards for safety, health, fire and zoning codes and
would put more responsibility on landlords to maintain their properties and
correct any violations.
   The ordinance is designed for one- and two-family homes,
which Borough Administrator Gary Garwacke said are the main concern. He said
multifamily dwellings, those with three or more housing units, are already
registered and inspected by the state.
   Through the implementation of this ordinance the borough
would have a database of rented properties and their locations, something it
‘s missing now. "Part of the process is getting people registered," said Mr.
Garwacke.
   He said the borough currently has an ordinance that
requires people who rent apartments to notify borough officials so they can
be inspected. "Part of the problem is we don’t know where those are," said
Mr. Garwacke. "This ordinance will help us enforce that."
   This ordinance comes from the concerns of borough
residents and those on the council. "Part of the problem we’re having in
town is that people have been converting single-family homes into two-family
homes illegally," said Mr. Garwacke.
   Mayor Angelo Corradino said another problem that stems
from this is nonresidents in the borough whose children go to the public
schools, which this ordinance may help control.
   People have also expressed concern about the condition of
some borough properties they think are not well kempt. This ordinance would
put more responsibility on absentee and local landlords to maintain the
properties they rent. Borough Clerk Philip Petrone said this will put the
onus on the landlord to properly maintain his real estate.
   Under the proposed ordinance, all dwellings would need to
be registered by Dec. 1 of each year, starting this year if the ordinance is
passed. The annual registration fee would be $75 for single-family rental
dwellings and $100 for each two-family or multifamily unit. Rental
properties would be subject to inspection at least once every five years,
though Mr. Garwacke said it may be more frequently then that. He said they
may be inspected once every three years.
   There are some dwellings that would be exempt from
inspection, including government owned and operated properties, state
licensed and inspected properties, rooming houses and premises and
two-family dwellings where one unit is owner occupied. Similarly, no
registration fee would be required for a two-family dwelling where one unit
is occupied by the owner.
   The proposed ordinance provides that properties cannot be
rented until they have a valid certificate of inspection. If a property
fails inspection, the owner or designated local property manager would
receive written notice of the problem. If it’s not fixed the owner could
incur one or more of the following penalties — a fine of no more than
$1,000, imprisonment in the county jail for no more than 90 days and/or a
period of community service not to exceed 90 days. Additionally, for each
day a violation exists the borough will consider it a separate violation,
according to the ordinance.
   Mayor Corradino said the ordinance is long due in
Manville. "It’s needed now as the town progresses and changes," he said.
   The mayor added that a lot of municipalities already have
an ordinance similar to this and Mr. Garwacke said Manville’s proposed
ordinance is actually mirrored after one in Somerville.
   "They (Somerville) have such a successful program," said
Mr. Garwacke. "We virtually copied their ordinance."
   Mr. Garwacke said he thinks this is something borough
residents support. "We seem to perceive a majority of the people in town
would like to see this done. They’d like to keep the town as neat and clean
as possible."
   The council will hear opinions about this ordinance at its
public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Borough Hall.