The District of Houston is continuing its efforts to tackle unsightly premises and unsafe accommodation.
From discussion at the March 3 District of Houston regular council meeting, district staffers will now set a date to gain public opinion and comment on what might be included in amended or new bylaws and what enforcement options would then be available.
A 2014 bylaw setting out maintenance standards to manage unsanitary, nuisance and unsafe residential conditions is in effect but “due to a lack of enforcement resources, the bylaw was not sufficiently enforced to ensure its ongoing validity,” a briefing note presented to council March 3 indicated.
But a housing needs assessment released late last year determined there was a “deficiency in both the quantity and quality of housing within the community,” the note continued.
And that’s caused council to give staffers the direction to update the standards of maintenance bylaw.
“An updated Standard of Maintenance Bylaw could provide the District of Houston the ability to meet the needs of tenants who live in unsafe and unhealthy accommodation due to poor building maintenance and/or neglect by certain landlords,” staffers noted in their brief note.
Dealing with nuisance issues would be handled through another bylaw separate from the proposed standards of maintenance one.
Staffers also pointed out that the proposed maintenance bylaw would also address “ongoing nuisance and unsightly issues for non-rental residential properties.”
Aside from specific bylaw provisions, staffers said ongoing contact with citizens and others would also set out standards the District expects for all properties.
“Through regular proactive inspections, the bylaw enforcement officer could seek voluntary compliance” prior to fines and other consequences, the briefing note continued.
Those consequences involve a wide range, beginning involving fines or a requirement to take remedial maintenance action within 30 days.
“Should the property owner fail to comply with the remedial action requirement order, the District may take the required action at the expense of the property owner,” a cost that could then be added to property taxes as a way of the District recouping its costs.
A more comprehensive measure contained in the draft maintenance standards bylaw would involve prosecution through the court system, a measure staffers pointed out could be expensive as “evidence supplied would need to satisfy the courts beyond a reasonable doubt,” staffers further pointed out in the briefing note.
A civil court injunction could also be considered but that again would be costly.
Another route, a consent order, something agreed to voluntarily by a property owner, was also included in the briefing note to council.
“Through discussion with the property owner, an agreement to comply could be reached” which would then be registered with the courts.
However a final bylaw is structured following public involvement, council is pursuing other parts of its plan to address bad housing.
And that involves the cost-sharing of enforcement of the bylaw in conjunction with the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako and other local governments who are pursuing ways to boost their own enforcement.
Citizens appearing previously at council meetings have expressed their own concerns about unsightly premises and the resulting implications on surrounding property values.