The Vincennes City Council last night held first reading of Ordinance 38-2015. It amends rental housing code.
In the original ordinance, landlords paid $20 a year per unit for each apartments registration and they would have them inspected whenever it was needed.
Under the newly written ordinance, landlords will be required to pay a $5 registration fee for their entire apartment building per year and a $50 inspection fee per unit every 2 to 4 years depending on the type of apartment.
Mayor Joe Yochum says landlords may not realize the rising cost of running the city inspectors office since the original ordinance was written back in 1992.
The change in the ordinance doesn’t come from the city. The state legislature made it a law requiring the city to change its current practices.
However landlords like Tom and Candy Smith spoke out, saying they don’t believe it is about the safety of the tenants.. They said they think the city is out to make more money.
The ordinance was passed with a vote of 6 to 1, Councilman Chuck Sebring saying he can’t pass it with the way it is currently written.
Both Council members Tim Salters and Shirley Rose say they think there needs to be further discussion on the matter.
The next reading will be at the next city council meeting it 2 weeks.