Mayor signs landlord-accountability law

Philadelphia law now requires that landlords bring properties up to code before leasing them to renters, but experts are not sure whether the law is enforceable.

Mayor John Street signed a bill requiring new certification for rented properties on Thursday, the last day of the two-week period allowed for him to consider it.

The ordinance, which passed City Council by a 10-6 margin two weeks ago, will make landlords responsible for providing new tenants with certificates stating that their property meets city standards.

Penn City and Regional Planning professor Amy Hillier said that she appreciates the sentiment of the bill but does not believe that it will lead to significant change.

"I can't imagine that the Department of Licenses and Inspections will be able to do this," she said. "Philadelphia has done some well intentioned things in the past that have not turned out so well."

Hillier said that a significant change in Philadelphia's housing standards could only come from a "massive inflow of federal money."

City spokesman Joe Grace said the mayor signed the bill because it will directly benefit Philadelphia residents.

"He tends to support legislation [Councilman Rick] Mariano proposes because it's sensitive to the needs of people in neighborhoods," Grace said.

Mariano, who sponsored the bill, is on trial for bribery, fraud and tax evasion.

Opponents of the legislation, including some Philadelphia landlords and Council members, have said that the law will require landlords to file an impossible amount of paperwork.

Grace said that the mayor would be willing to work further with Council members who have concerns about the implementation of the legislation.

The law will come into effect in September, unless the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections says it needs more time to put the process in place.

In response to the law, that department is working to create a computerized certification process, according to Phil Lord, executive director of the Tenant Union Representative Network.

He added that the process should not be too difficult because the Department already has digital records of all code violations.

It had been twenty years since Philadelphia last passed any pro-tenant legislation, Lord said.

No one at the Department of Licenses and Inspections was available to comment.

Property rights - Philadelphia's licensing department is working to create a computerized certification process for city properties - Landlords will now have to obtain certification that a property is up to code before leasing it to tenants - Opponents say the system will be difficult to enforce

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