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City Council Meeting Minutes December 2, 2020 safety and morals. Inspection Program (Only for life, health and safety) All properties affected, but impact can be limited — Self certification (properties conduct inspections and city spot checks of records and/or scheduled property inspections) — Good Landlord Program (education that lowers fees) — Tiered program (age and condition) — Combination • Pros — Ensures we don't have citizens living in properties with life, health or safety issues (vulnerable populations are hesitant to report) — Fees can fund the program — Helps to preserve current housing stock which would have a positive effect on affordable housing initiatives • Cons — Expense would be passed on to tenants — Could cause houses in need of major work to be demolished which would have negative effect on affordable housing initiatives Mr. Carr outlined the benefits of the Proactive Rental Inspection (PRI) program, which include the following: • Protects vulnerable tenants (low-income, elderly, non-English speaking, immigrants) that may live in the worst housing conditions • Helps provide tenant rights protections • Alerts landlords to problems before they become severe • Fosters preventative maintenance which helps preserve housing • Maintains neighborhood quality of live for neighboring properties • Maintains property values Mr. Carr provided Pros and Cons should council decide to repeal the ordinance and utilize other tools. • Pros — There are current enforcement tools to address substandard housing conditions • Cons — Limits what can be done to help vulnerable who are hesitant to report — Unable to proactively identify housing units in need of care — Costs to rehabilitate housing Mr. Carr stated the staff recommendation is to keep the current long-term City of San Marcos Page 7