Rowdy House Owners Fear Fines for Calling Police

WILDWOOD – An ordinance, dubbed the “Rowdy House Ordinance” that allows the city to fine owners of nuisance properties has come under fire by property owners who feel they cannot call police for a problem tenant because the call will be logged and the owner will ultimately pay $250 after the sixth call.
During the Nov. 7 Board of Commissioners’ meeting, Commissioner Pete Byron said he had been approached by several property owners who wanted to contact police with rowdy renters but hesitated.
“I’ve had landlords say ‘We’re afraid to call police’ to protect themselves, or if they have trespassers or someone raising hell on their units,” said Byron. “They’re afraid if they call police they’re afraid it will be held against them.”
The ordinance, which was passed Sept. 14, 2011, calls for any multi-family property that receives more than six qualifying calls to the city during a 60-day period, be placed on a probationary status. Properties with more than 10 units, face probation after three qualifying calls. Property owners will be charged $250 for any calls in excess of the qualifying number.
Qualifying calls are defined as: alcoholic beverage violations; disorderly conduct; disturbing the peace; excessive noise; littering; improperly parking a vehicle; possession of a barking or howling animal; possession of distribution of a controlled substance; prostitution; public urination; and indecent exposure.
Mayor Ernest Troiano replied it is the onus of the landlord to make sure renters are not problematic at the time the lease is signed.
“If it is the owner of the property that is having the problem, and he wants them removed and he calls police, I’m not going to hold that against him,” said the mayor.
Byron responded there are many people who are afraid to call police because it will be held against them. “It’s a tough situation.”
Troiano said the problem is twofold. Owners have a hard time in knowing to whom they are renting, and need to better screen potential renters.
“You don’t have to open a box of Limburger cheese to know what’s inside. If you rent to 10 kids who are 17-years-old, you’re going to have problems. If you rent to known drug dealers, you’re going to have problems. If you rent to gang bangers, you’re going to have problems.”
The need for landlords to be more stringent in screening their rentals has been a sore point for the administration. For the past year, Troiano has stated landlords need to take responsibility for their tenants.
“It’s at the behest of the city to the owner to really, really, really screen your applicants,” said Troiano.
One example given by the mayor was a year-round rental property where the tenant was problematic and the landlord was unable to remove him from the property for eight months.
“He did not get paid for eight months’ rent,” added Troiano.
According to the mayor, his sympathy lies with landlords who lease to renters who appear to be good, “and suddenly they turn bad.”
Troiano added “When you rent your unit out to seven, eight or nine kids, they’re young. You’re going to have problems.”
In addition to problems with young renters leasing properties in the city, officials then deal with the parents of those teenagers.
“I had a mother this summer call me up, giving me hell about why our inspectors, police and fire department were in her son’s unit.”
In tough economic times like these renting property becomes more difficult. Troiano said landlords need to look beyond financial gain.
“Renters have to understand it’s more than the almighty dollar. That I have this place and I have to rent it,” said Troiano. “You take a beautiful place and you rent it and in six months it’s destroyed.”
The mayor urged landlords to take their time in placing renters in their property.
“Be willing to take your time,” he said. “Sometimes that pot of gold sitting there is not worth the aggravation of who you’re putting into these units.”