[Press Release] : City announces rental registry amnesty program

[Press Releases]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2010

CONTACT: Officer Timothy Thomason 
(573) 874-7426 
or 
Rose Wibbenmeyer 
(573) 874-7309

City announces rental registry amnesty program
        
(COLUMBIA, MO) – The city of Columbia’s Office of Neighborhood Services announces a rental registry amnesty period that will be held from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15.  During the amnesty period, persons operating a residential rental unit without a valid certificate of rental compliance may voluntarily apply for a certificate of compliance without being prosecuted for operating the unlawful unit. After Nov. 15, 2010, if the City of Columbia finds a rental property without a valid certificate of compliance, those persons operating the illegal rental units will be prosecuted. 
The purpose of the amnesty program is to raise awareness of the city’s Rental Conservation Law and encourage voluntary compliance by rental property owners and managers. Compliance with this city ordinance ensures that the thousands of Columbia residents who rent their dwellings are living in a unit that is safe and in good repair.
Following Nov. 15, owners and operators of unlawful rental properties will be prosecuted by the city if they do not comply voluntarily. If found guilty, the violation shall be punished by a fine not more than $500 or by imprisonment not to exceed three months, or by both fine and imprisonment.
Currently, there are more than 22,700 rental units in compliance with city code and hundreds of landlords who have taken the time and effort to follow the laws. 
Those who own rental property and are not in compliance may contact the Office of Neighborhood Services to determine how their rental property can be registered. The office can be reached at (573) 817-5050, neighborhood at GoColumbiaMo.com or online at www.GoColumbiaMo.com. Application can also be made in person at 3601 S. Providence Road. 
Tenants can also play a role in this program by asking their landlord if the unit where they live has a current certificate of compliance or they may contact the Office of Neighborhood Services to inquire about the status of their dwelling.
 
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