| Residential Rental Remedial Program |  |
| The Central City Revitalization and Housing Committee held it's final meeting regarding the proposed "Landlord Ordinance" on April 19, 2012. There will be one final public hearing on May 1, 2012 during the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting. After the public hearing the full City Council will vote on the proposed ordinance. Thank you to everyone that has attended the meetings and shared ideas, offered criticism and alternatives, and discussed the issue. As a result of these meeting several changes were made to the ordinance and we feel it will be a needed tool to preserving neighborhood stabilization in Gastonia. |
The Gastonia Residential Rental Remediation Action Program is designed to strengthen our communities and to give law enforcement the necessary tools to insure that each citizen can live peacefully without interruption from criminal influences or disruptions. Although a very small number of residential properties would have a need for a remedial action program, a large percentage of repeat calls to the Gastonia Police Department are in regards to these few properties. The City of Gastonia would like to see these calls reduced and our law enforcement resources put to better use.
This program was a joint effort by several departments in Gastonia and took over a year to comprise the final edition. A lot of effort and hard work was put into this ordinance to make sure that anyone involved would be treated fairly. The utmost care was used to insure that the ordinance was legal and only affected only those that choose to break the law. Individual right of property ownership was highly valued as this ordinance was put together.
Many residents have asked why this ordinance would be necessary. To demonstrate this need I will provide you with one example:
The average cost for a police call in the city of Gastonia is $103.12. One rental property on Glenn St. in Gastonia had 92 calls in 2011. It was a disruption to the neighborhood and created many problems for the neighbors. The cost to the city for this unruly property was $9,487.04. This is money that we as taxpayers are responsible for because the landlord of this property simply didn't care. Some examples of the calls for service were 13 drug related, 11 civil disturbance, 8 assault, child neglect, shooting into an occupied building, larceny, and gun shots. Without the proposed ordinance the police are powerless to protect the neighbors and the community from this unconcerned landlord.
The top 10 worst offenders for unruly rental property had 345 calls for police in 2011 and cost the taxpayers of Gastonia $35,676.40. This is a drain on our city's resources and could affect your safety or need for assistance by a first responder. Keep in mind that many of these calls also required ambulance or fire response and those costs and man hours have not been calculated.
Below you can click on the images to view or print the different material regarding the proposed program. |
Proposed Rental Remedial
Action Program Ordinance
(The ordinance begins on page 148) |
Residential Rental Remedial
Action Program
Guidelines Manual |
Residential Rental Remedial
Action Program Diagram
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Residential Rental Remedial
Action Program
Disorder Definition |
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