FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Fresno City Councilmembers Steve Brandau and Clint Olivier announced a new plan to combat slum-lord housing on Monday, in front of the Summerset Village Apartments.
The plan creates an Anti-Slumlord Enforcement Team (ASET) with a landlord-tenant ombudsman, which would be someone residents with complaints can directly contact.
Olivier says the plan builds on what Mayor Ashley Swearengin’s has already built, and that this is the next step in creating action.
If passed, the Strike-Team on Problem Properties (STOPP) that Mayor Swearengin created would dissolve into this ASET team.
Mayor Swearengin released a statement:
“It is always gratifying when councilmembers propose resolutions that codify what the Administration is already doing. This resolution simply renames the existing task force from ‘Strike Team on Problem Properties’ to ‘Anti-Slum Enforcement Team’ and adds 3 additional code enforcement officers. While we think the councilmembers are well-meaning and are trying to reinforce our ongoing efforts to address substandard housing, unfortunately, this resolution would water down the Administration’s STOPP efforts by inspecting minimal units on egregious properties. If that was intentional, then the Administration will vehemently oppose this resolution. We need to be adding tools to our tool box to combat slum housing, not taking them away.”
Click here to see the councilmembers’ proposal, which will be heard at the City Council meeting this Thursday (11/17).
