CODE WOULD PERMIT CITY TO ACT ON ALL COMPLAINTS

In the debate over housing assistance in Cape Girardeau, a recurring theme has been that housing needs of the city's low-income residents aren't being met sufficiently in the private sector.

Typically, the problem is described as follows: A slumlord buys a dilapidated, inexpensive property and rents it to low-income tenants. The owner pockets a federal rent subsidy, while the renter is forced to live in vulgar conditions because he's too poor to live elsewhere.

Recent proposed solutions are that the city either appoint a housing authority to build public housing or further regulate landlords with a minimum property maintenance code or both.

Assistant City Manager Al Stoverink said, "We get complaints both from tenants and adjoining neighbors of poor maintenance and quality of the property in some instances where there are renters who receive public assistance."

Stoverink said a minimum property maintenance code, such as the one the city's Board of Appeals voted Thursday to send to the council, would enable the city to respond to such complaints.

Although the code would ensure the quality of rental properties, it would not help persons unable to find low-cost housing. Stoverink said many low-income families, in particular, are unable to find suitable housing.

He said private developers have built apartment complexes in Cape Girardeau for elderly tenants who receive public assistance, but not poor families.

Why?

"You have less maintenance problems with the elderly," Stoverink said. "What we have today, unfortunately, is a lot of single-parent families with a low-income situation."

Stoverink said state funds are earmarked to provide low-interest loans and subsidies to encourage developers to build rentals for low-income families. But private businesses have been reluctant to get into the programs because low-income tenants have a tendency to drive up maintenance costs.

To some, the answer to the lack of available rental property for low-income residents is public housing.

But not everyone accepts the premise that presupposes something must be done to further help low-income residents.

William Tucker, housing director for the East Missouri Action Agency in Flat River, said the charge that there are slumlords in Cape Girardeau accepting federal rent subsidies is unfounded.

The EMAA administers the federal Department of Urban Development's housing assistance programs in Cape Girardeau.

"Once the qualified tenant finds a house, we must do a housing quality check," Tucker said. "It's an inspection that assures it meets HUD's criteria for a safe, sanitary and decent place.

"I defy these people that make these accusations to show me where this housing is."

Tucker also said landlords have good reason to be leery of low-income tenants; often those tenants not only fall behind on rent but damage the property.

He said his office has investigated HUD housing complaints lodged by tenants and neighbors against landlords.

"Every time someone has brought up violations, we've investigated it and found it was due to the tenant," Tucker said. "There are constant complaints about vermin and roaches, but nine times out of 10, it reverts back to the lifestyle of the tenant.

"I agree the owner has the responsibility to keep that unit in livable condition, but some things have to go back on the tenants."

Charles Horn, a housing specialist in the Cape Girardeau office of EMAA, admitted there is substandard rental property in Cape Girardeau. But he said they aren't HUD-subsidized homes.

"We can't rent substandard housing on the Section 8 program," Horn said. "It seems there are a lot of people who want to go after the landlords because they think they're making a killing.

"I don't think they are," he said. "The damages they pay out to repair their property often makes up for any money they're making."

Stoverink agreed that most landlords work hard to keep their properties in safe, clean and sound condition, but the few who don't must be regulated.

"Ninety percent of the landlords are running a good, clean business, but there's a percentage who aren't," he said. "That's why we have regulation of any kind."