Dear Editor:
I am glad that people are concerned about their hometowns and public safety matters, and again I don’t do reports just to cause any just persons any harm. To answer your letter and anyone else that may be interested, I will make an attempt to explain about what you were asking.
First off housing inspectors don’t enforce codes to have any illegal apartments removed. We enforce State and local ordinances that will better conditions (basically) for people to live in. Primarily fire safety is first and foremost along with better living. The State codes as far as I know do not address any illegal apartments; they never use the word illegal in this regard. Your illegal apartments are done on a local or county level. They are local ordinances made by your local governing body, and input from the citizens, fines and enforcement are also included in these ordinances, enforced by construction or zoning officials with memos generated by housing officers to their office, generally because of complaints that we get. We then write up any violations using the State or local ordinances that are a copy of the State (Chapter 10 Maintenance of Hotels and Multiple Dwelling Regulations laws). Installing apartments without permits for electrical, plumbing and construction approval and inspections or not getting approval from a zoning board is also a violation.
Most ordinances set up cut off dates, meaning let’s say if the date is July 1, 1970, and the building is a two-family unit, then that’s all it should be unless legal changes were made from your local Board that has control over zoning for some residential zones. In conclusion again I say Renter Beware! And look for the things I reported in my last editorial.
Art Henry
Housing Inspector