Sarasota Livin'

Nice to see the editorial board of the SHT continue to talk about this important issue ...

Checking code violations

Place focus on threats to health and safety

Take a tour through neighborhoods north of downtown Sarasota and you'll see plenty of well-kept rental units. You'll also see some problems that city officials seem powerless to solve.

That must change. Too many code complaints result in frustration; local governments should create more effective tools for dealing with serious violations.

In one case, a city code enforcement officer said, a structure described as an illegal triplex (off Old Bradenton Road) repeatedly escaped shutdown because ownership changed hands.

That revolving-door scenario afflicts many aspects of code enforcement. The recurring nature of the violations thwarts progress, consuming inordinate time and effort.

One possible solution, suggested during a discussion last week among city officials, neighborhood representatives and landlords, is heightened penalties for repeat offenders. Enforcers also need a simpler way to get court permission to enter homes where dangerous, overcrowded or substandard conditions exist.

Some city leaders appear to be tuning in to these needs, and we encourage them to push for progress in a targeted way.

Though aesthetic and nuisance concerns are major headaches for neighborhoods, violations that threaten health and safety should be the top priority.

Unchecked code violations undermine neighborhoods and can lead to demolitions that diminish the stock of affordable rentals -- an asset the community really needs to preserve. If enforcers need better tools to do their jobs, let's find them.

I was on that tour ....