Othello establishes rental property inspections

OTHELLO — Rental housing in Othello will be subject to periodic inspections under the terms of a new ordinance, which started Monday, and is meant to eliminate substandard housing.

Landlords are required to have a license to rent property and are not eligible for the license until the rental properties are inspected.

The ordinance generated substantial discussion among Othello City Council members and passed Feb. 8 on a 4-2 vote. Community Development Director Anne Henning said city officials proposed it as a way to make it easier to address substandard rental housing.

Most Othello rental housing is well maintained, but not all of it. She cited the case of an Othello landlord who poked holes in the walls and ran hoses into the structure to provide running water, and strung extension cords to provide electricity.

“There have been some units with some really serious problems,” Henning said.

Prior to the new ordinance, city officials had few tools to address substandard rental housing, and the process was time consuming and expensive, Henning said. In addition, tenants had to request an inspection. If the unit was found to be substandard, city officials could declare the property as uninhabitable and the tenant was evicted.

“Now this takes the tenant out of the loop,” Henning said.

Code enforcement officer Heather Miller said during the Feb. 8 city council meeting gaining access to a rental property for inspection has taken up to two years. Othello Police Chief Phil Schenck said during the same meeting city officials and police officers know there is substandard housing, but lacked a legal way to get onto the premises.

Henning said the inspections are to determine if the landlord is in compliance with state guidelines in landlord-tenant laws, such as working plumbing and structural integrity. Landlords are charged $10 per year per location if the city does the inspection. The fee is charged for the property, not the rental units, Henning said. Landlords also have the option to hire a certified inspector, who would submit a report to the city.

Landlords whose property is found in violation and who don’t fix the deficiencies are subject to a $1,000 fine. The rental license may be revoked as well.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.