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the Corvallis program manager for the time period July 2003 - June 2004. That data indicated fewer than two contacts per business day; 267 were from tenants, 100 were from landlords, and 67 were from people from other than tenants or landlords. Of 434 total contacts, none resulted in administrative sanctions from Corvallis or got to the point of a legal notice. The cost of that program was about $90,000 annually. Mr. Blanton asked what the proposed Eugene ordinance would do that the State law did not. He asked the council to review the State landlord-tenant act before it adopted the ordinance. He submitted a copy into the record. He said the State law was strong, and damages were awarded to the tenant, not to government. John Tronrud, 1388 Willamette Street, Rental Association, said the association was not opposed to housing standards but was opposed to the duplication of process. He did not think the proposed code provided anything not found in State law. He discussed the history of the landlord-tenant law, and said those who said the only recourse was small claims court were not correct. Withholding rent was an option, and that got a landlord's attention. He said the local courts were very fair; they were more apt to give the tenant the benefit of the doubt, particularly with regard to habitability issues. He said the housing coalition did not address those issues. The association had offered the coalition the opportunity to give it the worst case scenario and it heard nothing. The coalition did not want to be in the court system; if a landlord had a claim made against them, they would be in the court system. Jaml Sterling-Counard, 825 Mosh Drive, Sterling Management Group, said she was very involved in the Corvallis market and was familiar with that community's program. She said that in three years, Corvallis had experienced three code issues annually and those had regarded plumbing and weather stripping. The few problems that do exist would be subsidized by the landlords who really care about and take care of their properties. She did not think that was fair. Ms. Sterling-Counard asked if the council decided to go forward with housing standards, it include a two-year sunset provision for a meaningful review. Ms. Sterling-Counard emphasized the importance of having knowledgeable inspectors. Corvallis had done well in that regard. She said the program cost should be minimal. She suggested that the council consider discounting the fee for good behavior. She also supported directing revenues into a dedicated fund. Kelly Pearson, 375 Marche Chase Drive, representing Chase Village Apartments, opposed the adoption of local housing standards. She said that the fee being contemplated would realize considerable money from the 536 units she managed alone at a cost of $10 annually. She contrasted that with the cost to a single-family house, where more of the problems discussed by those supporting the housing standards seemed to occur. She said her complexes had permanent maintenance teams and addressed all tenant complaints as they were received. She had heard stories from tenants about bad rental situations and used them as suggestions for improvements. Brooke Hardy, 992-½ West 4th Avenue, represented a landlord unable to appear before the council. He was opposed to the housing standards as they were not needed. He said in his experience, often the problem with a rental was caused by tenants doing damage. He it was very difficult to evict a tenant and it took a court process. Mr. Hardy said he had just inspected one of his properties and was surprised by the damage that had been done. He pointed out that local landlords frequently owned only one or two properties or units. He objected to the fee associated with the housing standards program, which he characterized as a hidden tax and which he did not think was needed. Clark Winston Cox Jr., 1085 Patterson Street, said that his complex had experienced problems until a new management company had assumed responsibility. In the past, management companies had worked MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 8, 2004 Page 8 Regular Meeting