Cape landlords hope to work with city on inspection program

Some local landlords are coming together to support each other as the city of Cape Girardeau considers implementing a rental inspection program.

The Cape Area Landlord Association, which already has more than 50 members, hopes to work with the city, not against it, said its president, Jason Coalter.

"We don't like blighted property any more than the city or any of its citizens do, and we want all tenants to be in safe, sanitary housing," he said. "We fully expect to be accountable to the city and our tenants."

In June a public meeting was held at the Osage Centre in which city officials discussed a proposed rental inspection program with local landlords. If approved, the program would require all rental units, excluding hospital, nursing home, dorm and hotel rooms, to obtain a certificate of compliance issued by the city that would cost landlords $25 to $35 per unit each year. Approved units would then undergo initial inspections and be subject to follow-up inspections every three years.

Coalter said he hopes the association can work with the city to develop a program that fits the needs of the community.

"We do investment properties and deal with tenants every single day. We're the experts on it," Coalter said. "We want to make sure all avenues are considered and covered before somebody just says, 'We think this is a good idea, let's go.'"

Along with being an additional expense for landlords, the proposal doesn't take tenant privacy into account, he said.

For now, the inspection program is on hold, said Kelly Green, director of development services for the city of Cape Girardeau.

"We heard loud and clear at the last meeting that a lot of property owners just wanted us to enforce the ordinances we already had on the books," Green said. The city created a staff position last year specifically for property maintenance and zoning inspections, she said.

"We want to see how that's working over the next couple months, then look again and re-evaluate where we are and what direction we need to go," she said. "When we re-evaluate if there are changes we want to make to what was proposed or move forward with the plan presented, we will reach back out to that group before anything is implemented for more discussions."

While the rental inspection program was a catalyst for its creation, the group has a broader purpose -- to help fellow landlords be successful.

The group will help landlords become familiar with existing laws, codes and procedures related to property management, work to protect investments of the members and share information and experiences, Coalter said.

Bob Blasiney, who has had rental property in Cape Girardeau since 1984 and is a member of the new Cape Area Landlord Association, said he hopes the group will help change the negative reputation landlords sometimes get. Membership is $100 annually.

Its regular meetings will include presentations by police, attorneys, fire department representatives and insurance agents to help educate landlords on the issues they face, he said.

"Part of the reason we wanted to do this is we realized some landlords were having problems with screening of tenants, how to evict tenants and problems with knowing when something goes from civil to criminal," Blasiney said. "We're trying to create a better tenant base and also resolve problems quicker so we have a better rapport with homeowners."

mmiller@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO