SSL Clean-up Efforts Aimed at Rentals

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(KCPW News) South Salt Lake is a city of renters, not owners. In fact, sixty-two percent of the city's 23-thousand residents rent. And that unique demographic brings challenges, says City Councilman Mike Rutter:

"We've had problems with absentee owners not taking care of properties, and we've had problems with lawbreakers," says Rutter. "It's a problem we need to clean up."

Rutter says one way to make South Salt Lake's rentals cleaner and safe is to require more of landlords. Last week the South Salt Lake City Council decided to require a business license and fee from landlords of one and two-unit rentals like houses and duplexes. The fees range from thirty to one-hundred dollars. Landlords can get a discount if they take a city-sanctioned "Good Landlord" class. Rutter says the council hopes the new rules will get the attention of absentee landlords.

"We know from law enforcement statistics there seems to be a high propensity of police calls to those areas," says Rutter. "We're trying to help landlords be better landlords so there are few calls to those areas. We also hope the class will help them find out who the bad people are they rent to."

City estimates suggest the new fees will raise about 27-thousand dollars a year to help offset the cost of extra police and fire activity common in areas with lots of rental units.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW