Authorizing the City Council's Joint Committees on Licenses and Inspections and Public Safety to hold hearings on the issue of negligent landlords, problem rental properties and their effects on the surrounding community and in furtherance of such investigation, authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.

WHEREAS, There has been a tremendous increase in the number of complaints being fielded by CLIP and L&I involving blight and maintenance issues regarding residential properties; and

WHEREAS, Addressing these issues in an expedient matter is important to community morale. The investigations of some violations require Police intervention, leading to a drain in Police Department resources which may jeopardize our public safety; and

WHEREAS, Many of these properties are owned by investors purchasing single family row homes and converting these homeowner occupied properties into rentals. Furthermore, many of the owners of the properties in question reside outside of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, Statistics show that some owners are not applying for the appropriate licenses. Additionally a large number of these landlords have failed to provide the City of Philadelphia with the appropriate contact information and have also failed to comply with The Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code requiring owners to have a local agent when the owner resides outside of the City limits; and

WHEREAS, Mapping data of problem properties in the 6th Councilmanic District show over 2,000 properties with multiple L&I violations; and

WHEREAS, There is serious concern among residents about how these properties will affect homeowners' quality of life and the market value of their properties, as the same data shows that recent housing sales are, on average, 20 percent lower in areas with one or more properties that have multiple L&I violations, tax delinquencies and rental license citations; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That City Council's Joint Committees on Licenses and Inspections and Public Safety are hereby authorized to hold hearings on the issue of negligent landlords, problem rental properties and their effects on the surrounding community and in furtherance of such investigation, authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.

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