The city’s Substandard Living Conditions Committee recommended the city change the way code enforcement is handled. The bill coming before aldermen tonight would make no change to any of the city’s codes. It would allow the city to administratively enforce violations to its zoning, health, fire safety, housing and building codes, without first having to go to court.

Some landlords in the city are up in arms about it and have hired a lawyer to oppose the change.

But here’s a funny thing: More landlords are not, and for good reason. Most people who own rental property in town understand they have nothing to worry about from the proposed change. They routinely make good-faith efforts to follow the codes and work with city code-enforcement officers when there is a concern about their property. Changing the way the codes are enforced won’t make a bit of difference to them.

Then there are those – a decided minority, to be sure – who try to skirt regulations and work the current system to their advantage because they know it requires the city to haul a landlord into court before a fine can be levied.

The bill before aldermen gives the city the tools needed to deal with those repeat offenders while maintaining an appeals process for those property owners who feel they have been wronged.

The city’s law-abiding landlords need not be concerned about the bill, and passing it would be the right thing for aldermen to do.

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