Lineberry Alliance Blogs

Today the City Council voted 5-3 to add criminal activity to the PROP, include all rental units throughout the city in the program (removing the 20 or more units question), and charge all landlords a $30 registration fee for their first unit and $10 per unit thereafter. A second reading/vote is required in two weeks to make these changes law, which again would require five votes. If made into law, the changes are effective January 5, 2009.

Councilor’s Baldwin, Isley and West voted in opposition.

The N&O Reports: Raleigh council sets rental fee.

Why does this matter to you? A stronger PROP can strengthen our neighborhood(s). Not all landlords are bad, but the few that are, make all the other ones look bad. There was a strong showing of support for these additions to the PROP at the public hearing on Tuesday, June 3 with some very good points made by many people. Hence, the reason it went back to committee. For clarification on some points and further additions to others.

From the City of Raleigh E-Newsgram:

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO PROP ORDINANCE SENT TO COUNCIL COMMITTEE

The Raleigh City Council’s Budget and Economic Development Committee will continue studying proposed amendments to the Probationary Rental Occupancy Permit (PROP) ordinance. Following a public hearing, the City Council agreed Tuesday evening to send the proposals back to the committee.

One of the amendments would add the following crimes to the PROP ordinance:

• Prostitution;
• Possession of stolen goods;
• Violations of certain state alcohol and liquor regulations;
• Unlawful weapons;
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon;
• Gaming violations; and,
• Disorderly conduct.

Another amendment would add civil penalties for noise and nuisance party violations. Also, council members are considering a proposal to require all landlords in Raleigh to register their property with the City.

Under the ordinance, a landlord must obtain a PROP if he or she has violated unsafe building, minimum housing, zoning or noise or party nuisance ordinances at a rental site and has failed to bring the property into compliance by a City-established deadline. Landlords who have a pattern of repeat citations at a rental property also must get the permit. The permit prohibits the landlord from renting the property until it is brought in compliance with City code. The goal of the PROP ordinance, which the City Council enacted in 2005, is to assure better quality rental housing for tenants and the surrounding neighborhood.