Source: St. Albans Messenger, Wednesday, June 16, 2010

By Leon Thompson

“ST. ALBANS CITY –– Fearing another fiscal burden on themselves and their tenants, a group of landlords here questions whether the city should localize the state inspection process and enact a fee schedule.

About 20 St. Albans City rental property owners packed the city council chambers Monday night to hear about the city’s plan to assume responsibility of the inspection program, starting July 1.

On that date, the state’s inspection fee for rental dwellings will jump from $100 to $125.

City Manager Dominic Cloud said the state’s fee hike coincides with the city’s shift from a focus on fire suppression to more prevention measures under its departmental restructuring plan.

The city’s proposed schedule fee calls for a $100 inspection – less than the state’s upcoming new charge – every four years. There is also a $50 registration fee per parcel (not per unit) and other associated fees based on code violations.

Fire Marshal Josh Cox, who fielded a barrage of questions from landlords Monday, said the $100 fee would only be due every four years, so that the city can realistically keep up with its roster of 1,750 rental units – a staggering amount for a small Vermont city.

The City of Winooski adopted a similar program in 2003 and “had great success with it,” Cox said. Winooski’s move to municipally organized fire inspections has lessened the city’s number of residential fires and reduced the severity of damages and loss, Cox said…”

Full story: Landlords react to City takeover of inspections

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