Thread: PA: Borough eyes rental inspections

Borough eyes rental inspections

By CHRISTOPHER RUVO
phillyBurbs.com

The name of every man, woman and child living in a rental unit in Quakertown might one day appear on a list at borough hall, officials said.

A provision mandating the list could be written into a new ordinance that would authorize routine inspections of rental properties in the Upper Bucks borough where more than 35 percent of the housing stock is rentals, borough council members said at their Monday meeting.

Councilman Jim Roberts said the list will ensure that the number of people living in an apartment doesn't surpass the amount allowed by code. It will also help make certain that renters are paying earned income tax to the borough and local school district, he said.

A Quakertown resident said overcrowding in apartments is a growing problem in the borough of about 9,000 people. “People are cluttering up the street and living three or four families in an apartment. That's not safe,â€

Ridge said a reasonable inspection fee would be $20 to $25 and that the borough should provide an easy-to-read checklist on what must be done to pass an inspection.

I presume that this checklist will be in English? After all, if it were in other languages it would be perceived to be racist.

It would seem that health and safety inspections would be a good thing to help in this situation.

Why aren't more cities doing it?

Another thing, when illegals purchase a home, they work on those homes - building on rooms, but up fences, etc. I doubt very seriously if they ever get a permit. Yet, in a very small town, when we built our storage building they were outraged that we didn't get a permit first.