Detroit cracking down on chronic apartment building violators
Detroit is stepping up enforcement against apartment buildings with long histories of code violations, deferred maintenance and repeated complaints.
City officials say they have identified 27 properties that have been chronic problems, some of them for years.
"We took a look at our records to see which buildings received the most complaints, the buildings that have a history of non-compliance, not registered, not having a certificate of compliance," said Arthur Rushin, Chief Enforcement Officer for the Buildings, Safety, Engineering, and Environmental Department.
The city says those buildings could face escalating enforcement actions, including tickets, warning letters, lawsuits and even court-appointed receivers.
"Regarding compliance metrics, an increase of active certificates of compliance of 25-35% within the next 18 months would be a good gauge we are moving the needle on compliance with rental housing in the city of Detroit," city officials said.
But some housing advocates question whether the initiative goes far enough.
"My reaction when I heard about the initiative, it just felt like a little bit too little and too late," said Donovan McCarty, director of the Housing Justice Clinic at Michigan State University's College of Law.
City officials say one of the most significant differences this time is that they are bringing the law department into the process earlier and relying more heavily on legal action against chronic offenders.
"We are engaging with the law department a lot more to move property owners that tend to be a little bit more resistant to compliance, and we believe that the nuisance lawsuits actually work," said Rushin.
For tenants who have been living with problems for years, McCarty says the real test is whether conditions actually improve.
"I don't believe that tenants should take anyone's word for saying that 'this time is going to be different.' I think that they have to wait until they're shown that it's a different situation," said McCarty.
The city says the goal is to improve living conditions and bring more properties into compliance.
