THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411180009
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Staff writer Alex Marshall writes that ``a gang of city inspectors swarmed over East Ocean View Thursday making pests of themselves to property owners, slapped violations on'' and ``poked into'' (emphasis my own).
Wrong. We don't even have a gang. There are not nearly enough inspectors to do the job that protects Norfolk residents' health, safety and welfare. If Mr. Marshall had to live in a neighborhood where property owners regularly defied city codes and allowed their renters to do the same, perhaps he would change his verbs, nouns and adjectives to more positive ones.
We really are talking about our safety, health and welfare and that of our renters, not to mention the possibilities and risks of suits due to owner negligence.
Without the help of extremely overworked inspectors, many neighborhoods decline. While we are responsible owners of rental property, many are not.
All too often, regular upkeep is sacrificed to the almighty dollar. We all know that even minor code infractions can lead to worse infractions. Everyone needs to remember what benefits we all reap from code enforcement: neighborhoods like Ghent, Colonial Place and Lafayette-Winona have seen tremendous improvements in stability, value and quality of property maintenance. East Ocean View can, too.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, property owners in Colonial Place requested and helped draft the city's Occupancy Permit Program. The program requires city inspection of property before it can be sold or re-rented, to ensure that property is ``up to code.''
This was a great idea and still is, because so many property owners would prefer to devour all profits rather than maintain property.
While we wish every property owner were civic-minded and responsible, it's just not so. City inspectors have the overwhelming job of enforcement of city and state codes for every home and business in the city. They must be certain that each of us at least complies with what is interpreted as the absolute minimum health and safety requirements. These men and women deserve our praise and support.
Let's see an article in five years or so when the inspectors' hard work has paid off for residents of East Ocean View, both renters and owners.
SCOTTY ANGLIN
Norfolk, Nov. 8, 1994 by CNB