Published: March 02, 2008 09:58 pm            

Bluefield landlords see rental inspection ordinance as a step in the right direction

BLUEFIELD — A new ordinance calling for an inspection of all rental properties in Bluefield is drawing mixed reviews from area landlords.

Robert Perry, who oversees 55 rental units in Bluefield as the property manager for Perry Investment Group LLC, said the new ordinance is welcomed, and should help to clean up neighborhoods and improve property values.

“I’m very supportive,” Perry said. “This will sound like a bizarre statement, but I think the city of Bluefield collectively has an inferiority complex. It seems like everything that should be done to bring Bluefield back to being a first-class city is met over and over again with the objection that Bluefield can’t do that. I just equate that with the person who says I’m not capable of or not able to. I think this attitude that unfortunately a lot of prior city leaders have had over the last 30 or 40 years I think has tremendously damaged the economy and quality of life in the city. Now with that being said I think a real good place to start is to clean up some of the rental property that is really, really bad. There is a small group of landlords who absolutely do not care who they rent to or what kind of damage their tenants inflict on all of their surrounding neighbors.”

Randy Petry, president of the Mercer County Landlord’s Association, said the new ordinance — while a step in the right direction — does raise some concerns.

“I applaud Bluefield for finally looking at some of their properties that are obviously in need of repair,” Petry said. “I think their heart is in the right place. However, it is my opinion, and also that of several other landlords in my organization, that this good program could have a negative aspect as far as those situations where Bluefield may come in and cite the landlord not knowing the full truth and in doing so not following the state code.”

Petry said an example of a problem would be a tenant who removes a battery from a smoke detector and uses the battery for a television remote or calculator instead. When the property is inspected, the landlord — and not the tenant — could then be cited for the battery being removed from the smoke detector.

“Bluefield definitely has a problem with some of its housing,” Petry said. “Don’t misunderstand me. I think their program has merit. I think it is a step in trying to regain some of the beauty of Bluefield that has long been lost. But it is not without its negatives. I think if Bluefield would stop and listen to what the landlords are saying they would have a much better program. The city has an opportunity to work with the landlords and create a program that would greatly benefit both sides of the fence.”

By improving the quality of life in the city, property values will rise, Perry said.

“I want to see Bluefield come back to being a first-class city again,” Perry said. “I know it is possible to do that, and I can’t say how strongly I support Linda Whalen and the current city board for their willingness and courage to take on what has degenerated into a very bad problem.”

The goal of the new ordinance is to ensure the city’s rental tenants live in property meeting a basic level of “safe, sound and warm,” according to an earlier resolution passed by the city Board of Directors.

The new ordinance requires every landlord in the city to apply with the city code enforcement office for a certificate of occupancy. The certificate of occupancy provides the code enforcement office with a mechanism for regular inspections of rental properties.

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

        

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