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BY CAROL ARNETT

The Florissant City Council has voted to add a provision to the city code that allows the city to suspend or revoke residential rental licenses.

The bill specifies conditions under which a license can be suspended or revoked. They include licenses where the property is out of compliance with maintenance codes or the landlord has made false statements on the applications. The license can also be suspended or revoked: if the landlord has been notified of three or more “acts of unreasonable conduct by the tenants or other persons on the property,” or the conviction of a misdemeanor or felony by the owner or tenants “on or about the property or the immediately surrounding areas.”

Tom Menke, who owns several rental properties in the city, spoke against the bill. “You’ve taken a minute group – renters – and said they have to be watched constantly,” he said. “You’re trying to eradicate renters.” Menke told the council that the city should enforce existing ordinances. “You have everything you need to deal with bad renters or owners with existing ordinances,” he said.

The city currently requires that all rental properties be inspected yearly, and residential rental properties are subject to the same city codes as owner-occupied properties.

This bill came on the heels of another that raised business license fees, including the fees for real estate rental licenses. The fees were raised from a flat fee of $15 to a fee of $50 per each unit rented for rental properties up to ten units, and $25 for additional properties over ten units.

Menke noted that for some businesses, the licenses fee changes were minor, but for rental owners, the raising of the fee from $15 to up to $500 or above could be very significant. The council voted to pass the bill dealing with the rental licenses, with Councilman Andrew Podleski casting the only ‘no’ vote.

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