February 26, 2004
Quick Roundup Of The Housing Inspector Controversy
We should at least offer up a brief set of links to recent stories on the investigation into alleged abuses by City housing inspectors.
Tuesday's Portland Tribune examined the issues, while that day's Oregonian checked out the allegations house by house.
And today's Oregonian included three relevant items. First, columnist Steve Duin credits Commissioner Leonard for pursuing the complaints. Second, there's a report on one of the homeowners who has filed a $5.1 million lawsuit against two of the inspectors. And last, an editorial demands adherence to a code of ethics.
Comments (6)
Jack Bog on 26 Feb 2004
I'll bet there's more out there. I'll bet Housing is just part of a larger problem. And I hope Randy gets to all of it.
The One True b!X on 27 Feb 2004
Well, there's also his chasing of strange goings-on at the Bureau of Licenses.
hilsy on 27 Feb 2004
Having had to deal with the Licensing Bureau before, I'm surpirsed more hasn't been turned up there yet.
Gary Marschke on 28 Feb 2004
I may be late to this discussion but I think that the offending housing inspectors have stumbled onto a great way for the city to support the rehabilitation of homes and properties throughout the city and provide more affordable housing.
Housing authorities could notify a local non-profit of persistent offenders who would then be contacted and encouraged to sell their properties to the non-profit at a FAIR price (maybe with some tax advantage?) who, with city assistance, would rehab the home using volunteer and vocational school labor, then resell it at a profit with proceeds going to or earmarked to be spent in the neighborhood (think Neighborhood Watch or trip lighting). It would build community, affordable housing and a revenue source for neighborhoods independent of tax-based or grant-based funding.
What do you think, Randy?
Randy Leonard on 29 Feb 2004
The problem is that we cannot have people who work for the city having their motives questioned as to why they took enforcement actions against a property owner. One of the issues in the ongoing housing inspectors investigation is that it has been alleged that inspectors notified "financiers" of a house with a number of citations and liens on it that were then purchased by that business.
I am working on a solution that I think gets to where you were going. Houses that are in poor condition and are the subject of enforcement action would have the improvements made to the property, if the property owner could not or will not do the improvements themselves, by the city. The cost of that work would then be liened against the property.
This is an idea we are attempting to work through now. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.
Commissioner Randy Leonard
Gary Marschke on 02 Mar 2004
Not a bad start but my intent was to benefit a non-profit while creating more affordable housing and getting necessary repairs done without involving tax money and limiting the involvement of the city. Granted the city's investment would be recouped via the lein but that adds to the selling price (perhaps defeating the goal of creating more affordable housing) and involves at least the short term investment of already scarce city funds.
If a non-profit group of vocational students can build dozens of NEW homes (say that in the Oregonian within the last 2 weeks) why can't the same or a similar group do the same with rehab houses? I've got to believe where there's a will...