This doesn't mean first-time offenders will be subject to immediate city fees, Arner adds. If landlords don't fix a problem after a set time period, they will be charged re-inspection fees and fined for repeat violations. Fines and compliance periods have not been determined. After taking a draft of Title 4 to the Planning Commission on March 9, planning department staff are now reworking the details and hope to bring it back to the commission in a month, Arner says. Before it can become law, Title 4 must have the approval of both the Planning Commission and the City Council .
Illegal units are just another violation.
A more likely target are landlords who rent properties with rotting floor boards, or without running water. It's difficult to bring these properties into compliance. The landlords weigh the expected court fine versus the amount of rent they can expect to get and they make their decision. Locals got a taste of the industry's questionable advertising tactics in Dominican Hospital 's latest Focus on Health mailing. Fortunately, practically none of the article's claims square with Santa Cruz health or law enforcement records.