Mr. David Anderson, The Tacoma News Tribune and I have written something close to 90 articles criticizing the City of Lakewood’s controversial Rental Housing Inspection Program, known as the R.I.P.
Any property owner who does not plan to fight the City of Lakewood with an attorney, file a class action lawsuit, file an initiative, contact the American Civil Liberties Union, or consult with Columbia Legal Services, and who does not want to pay one or more $125 re-inspection fees, should plan on a 4-step RIP inspection process.
Inspection 1: As soon as Lakewood informs you that you have nine months to perform a safety inspection on your rental, you should conduct a self-inspection of the property to determine if there are any violations.
Inspection 2: You should check the property one day before the official inspection to help confirm that the tenant has not created any new violations within the nine-month period.
Inspection 3: Smart money would schedule the official inspection in the afternoon. The owner should make one more self-inspection in the morning in case the tenant has generated any new violations overnight. Tenants do dumb things like removing the smoke detector batteries. If you can correct any last minute violations before the official inspector arrives, you can save time and money.
Inspection 4: Have the official inspection performed.
There you have it. Rock solid tips and information any landlord needs to survive this government intrusion.
Any landlord who feels bullied into complicit action to support the City of Lakewood’s efforts to invade a renter’s private residence may do well to sell their Lakewood rental property.
Lakewood City Council has their heart in the right place. They very much wish to eradicate slum conditions for renters. Anyone should want to support that concept.
The problem is, Lakewood City Council’s approach violates the spirit of our country’s Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution. The US Constitution means what it says, and is designed to protect everyone without prejudice, including white, black, Asian, Hispanic rich and poor. The Constitution is for everyone.
I received my letter from the City about my rentals that I have not owned in 5 years. The letter was addressed to an address different than mine and reference yet another address that I have never had anything to do with. But, the letter says I have to go on their website and account for someone else’s property or I get in trouble. I’d like to know where they get their information.
Mr. Ray R,
In all of America, a citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty. In the City of Lakewood, it appears a citizen may be presumed guilty of being a slumlord until he proves his innocence.
If I were to receive a similar letter I would make one call to the City of Lakewood requesting my minimum fee of $100 before doing any website reporting for the City.
I am not on the City payroll, so the City should either do all the work related to their slumlord seeking plan or if they want me to drop what I am doing to do City work, they should pay me for my time.
Joseph Boyle
Amen, Mr. Boyle!
Ray,
If you have not already, please call the Rental Housing Safety Program number, 253-983-7850, or email rentals@cityoflakewood.us to update them on the status of your former properties. If you no longer own them, you don’t need to do anything with the website.
— Brynn, Communications Manager
I have not called or responded. The letter addresses a property I have never been associated with, therefore I do not have standing to attest to its status, current or former. I have no idea why or how my name got dragged into this.