BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org

City commissioners got an earful from local landlords Tuesday night during a work session to discuss possible implementation of rental housing standards.

The proposed housing standards, which were endorsed by the Coffeyville Planning and Zoning Commission, in 2010, were among the key recommendations of a comprehensive plan adopted by commissioners in May 2010.

The proposed rental standards would, among other things, require licensing of landlords who own rental properties within the city limits, inspections of rental properties to determine if they conform to minimum housing standards, and fine landlords whenever housing violations are not addressed.

However, landlords said the proposed standards were heavy handed and would impose not only limitations on profits of the landlords themselves but also raise the rent levels of the renters.

“Everytime you add a regulation, it creates an added cost, which is passed on to the renter,” said local landlord Stan Bryan, who resides in Welch, Okla. “And, in Coffeyville, the renters cannot afford to take on any more rent.

“I think the City of Coffeyville should make it easier for landlords and not more difficult.”

Bryan also said the latest environmental guidelines dealing with the removal of lead-based paint was an example of regulation gone awry. Combined with rental housing standards at the city level, the regulations continue to pile on the shoulders of landlords, Bryan said.

“With more and more draconian regulations coming from many layers of bureaucracy, who is going to want to buy more rental properties in Coffeyville?” Bryan asked the commission.

Mayor Alec Hendryx said the proposed standards, in his opinion, could be altered. He said he would rather see the proposed regulations not impose a licensing fee or any other provision that ultimately would be made up with higher rent.

Business owner and landlord Blake Allen said the City of Coffeyville’s current minimum housing standards are already on the books and would impact all properties, not just rental homes. He said rather than write more laws that focus on a specific housing community in Coffeyville, the commissioners would be wise to enforce existing laws.

“I think you are messing with things that aren’t broke,” said Allen.

Following two sessions of about 90 minutes each, in which commissioners heard from about one dozen landlords, commissioners agreed to create a committee, to includes about five local landlords, to examine the proposed housing standards and return to the commission with suggested changes or deletions.

However, commissioner Jim Taylor, Sr., said Tuesday’s work session was designed to do the work of that committee.

“We have been hearing from a room full of landlords, and we have just ignored them,” Taylor said.

Hendryx disagreed with Taylor’s assertion and said the work session was intended for the commission to hear concerns from all residents. The commission would take those concerns under consideration as they consider how to address the proposed housing standards, which, he emphasized are only in the form of a draft and are not a final plan of action.

Commissioners Pam Jones and Richard Gonzales each said they wanted to gain more information and digest the concerns that were aired Tuesday night.

“I’m keeping an open mind,” said Gonzales.

Commissioner David George was absent from Tuesday’s work session.