License, fee proposed for rentals
By Kevin Kelley
Fairview Park
Published Oct. 15, 2008

If you rent out a house or condominium in Fairview Park, you may soon have to get a license and pay a fee to do so.

The city is also in the process of creating a database of rental dwelling properties to better maintain the community’s housing stock. The database will include single-family and double and triple houses as well as condominiums that are rented out.

Bridget Hinkel, administrative assistant to Mayor Eileen Patton, is overseeing the creation of the database.

Hinkel told West Life residential rental properties are being identified through county property records and by comparing tax mailing addresses with home addresses.

At Monday’s committee meeting, council defined rental properties to exclude residences occupied by one family member but owned by another family member who lives elsewhere.

An ordinance requiring licenses for renting such dwellings had its first reading before council Oct. 6. The fee, to be paid by the property owner, will be $100 per year.

Ward 2 Councilman Bill Minek, chair of council’s Environment, Public Zoning and Development Committee, said he expects the ordinance to go to a vote after its third reading Nov. 3.

Patton also announced that the city has established a rental hotline number – (440) 356-4450 — for residents and rental property owners to call in with addresses.

The city already has an ordinance regulating apartment buildings. Patton said that legislation will be reviewed in the coming months for possible revisions.

In a separate but related program under an existing law, owners of apartment buildings will be required to submit a list of all occupants of rental units to the city’s finance department.

“This information will be used in cooperation with R.I.T.A. to cross check tax information for possible collection of nonpayment of city taxes,” the mayor said.

During the first week of October, the city sent forms to Fairview Park’s 39 apartment building owners to collect this information.

Residential dwellings, such as single-family houses, that are being rented will eventually have to submit this information as well, the mayor said.

The programs are being established to maintain the quality of the city’s housing, Patton and council members have said.

“These are two very aggressive programs that will, first, help to ensure the safety of rental units and protect property values and, secondly, it will ensure all people living in our city are paying their city taxes through R.I.T.A.,” Patton said.

On the Web:

• City of Fairview Park