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Mecklenburg Investors beware!
I received this information upon request from CRRA today:
The Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association in coordination with the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (REBIC) are evaluating this proposed fee-based rental registration ordinance that is part of the rental property ordinance presented to the Charlotte City Council, Community Safety Committee.
The Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association in coordination with the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (REBIC) are evaluating this proposed fee-based rental registration ordinance that is part of the rental property ordinance presented to the Charlotte City Council, Community Safety Committee.
The rental property ordinance consists of:
Mandating all rental properties register with a yet to be named Charlotte, governmental agency. If a property owner fails to register his/her property, the owner is subject to penalties of up to $5,000 per day and possible loss of right to rent property.
With the registration, CMPD has suggested an annual fee per unit.
CMPD would use “calls for service” and crime per rental property to tally criminal activity, which could trigger a rental property owner to be required to comply with a Remedial Action Plan. Calls for service could include, but are not limited to: noise complaints by or against a renter, a false burglar alarm, a violent crime on the property, or a drug arrest. Rental property owners are not notified until a CMPD determined threshold has been crossed.
With the registration, CMPD has suggested an annual fee per unit.
CMPD would use “calls for service” and crime per rental property to tally criminal activity, which could trigger a rental property owner to be required to comply with a Remedial Action Plan. Calls for service could include, but are not limited to: noise complaints by or against a renter, a false burglar alarm, a violent crime on the property, or a drug arrest. Rental property owners are not notified until a CMPD determined threshold has been crossed.
CRRA and REBIC have several concerns about the rental property ordinance as proposed, and have developed a list of suggestions for the Charlotte City Council to consider:
Notify rental property owners of crimes that occur on their property immediately. Use existing resources such as tax records, Register of Deed’s web site, and/or the Secretary of State’s web site to locate rental a property owner.
Require rental property owners to respond to a CMPD representative within 30 days of notification of crime. Rental property owners should inform CMPD of steps they have taken (if necessary) to ensure no further police action is needed. (i.e.: false alarm by burglar alarm unit fixed or tenant dealing drugs was evicted)
If CMPD’s notification is ignored, activate a Nuisance Response Team (NRT). NRT would:
Work to make direct contact with the rental property owner using existing resources (Tax records, Register of Deeds, Secretary of State’s website).
Analyze nature of problem.
Implement targeted solutions using the existing rules, ordinances, and laws and the proposed Remedial Action Plan Manual as a guide.
Through out this process, CRRA has made it very clear to CMPD and the Charlotte City Council, we are for targeting criminal activity and acting swiftly to eradicate crime in Charlotte. We believe the suggestions provided by CRRA and REBIC would more effectively target crime and criminals and keep rental property owners apprised of any criminal activity occurring on their property. The rental property ordinance will go before the Charlotte City Council in the next several months. We will seek your help to communicate the message of business owners who provide rental housing in our community.
Require rental property owners to respond to a CMPD representative within 30 days of notification of crime. Rental property owners should inform CMPD of steps they have taken (if necessary) to ensure no further police action is needed. (i.e.: false alarm by burglar alarm unit fixed or tenant dealing drugs was evicted)
If CMPD’s notification is ignored, activate a Nuisance Response Team (NRT). NRT would:
Work to make direct contact with the rental property owner using existing resources (Tax records, Register of Deeds, Secretary of State’s website).
Analyze nature of problem.
Implement targeted solutions using the existing rules, ordinances, and laws and the proposed Remedial Action Plan Manual as a guide.
Through out this process, CRRA has made it very clear to CMPD and the Charlotte City Council, we are for targeting criminal activity and acting swiftly to eradicate crime in Charlotte. We believe the suggestions provided by CRRA and REBIC would more effectively target crime and criminals and keep rental property owners apprised of any criminal activity occurring on their property. The rental property ordinance will go before the Charlotte City Council in the next several months. We will seek your help to communicate the message of business owners who provide rental housing in our community.
Benefits to CRRA approach:
Focuses on crime.
Notifies rental property owners when criminal activity occurs.
Communications from CMPD may be used as a tool to evict tenants who are committing crime on rental property.
Cost dramatically less than a city-wide registration database.
Consistent with Charlotte City Council’s Focus Area Plan goal to target criminal activity.
Consistent with CMPD’s Strategic Plan for “enforcement strategies that target crime.”
Saves CMPD time and resources.
CRRA will be sending out a survey in the next several days. Please take the time to fill it out. You will also be notified of up coming meetings and changes to the ordinance. Thank you for your interest in the subject.
Notifies rental property owners when criminal activity occurs.
Communications from CMPD may be used as a tool to evict tenants who are committing crime on rental property.
Cost dramatically less than a city-wide registration database.
Consistent with Charlotte City Council’s Focus Area Plan goal to target criminal activity.
Consistent with CMPD’s Strategic Plan for “enforcement strategies that target crime.”
Saves CMPD time and resources.
CRRA will be sending out a survey in the next several days. Please take the time to fill it out. You will also be notified of up coming meetings and changes to the ordinance. Thank you for your interest in the subject.
Elizabeth Barnhardt
Government Affairs Director
Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association
704-940-3178
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I personally think there should be no fee to the landlords who do not have tenant problems. I of course have a rental unit in Mecklenburg county and am sure there has never had a criminal call at that address. Landlords that don’t allow abuse of the system should not pay the penalty for those that do.
Todd Long
I personally think there should be no fee to the landlords who do not have tenant problems. I of course have a rental unit in Mecklenburg county and am sure there has never had a criminal call at that address. Landlords that don’t allow abuse of the system should not pay the penalty for those that do.
Todd Long
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