Irwin OKs lawsuits to enforce rental ordinance
Irwin officials plan to crack down on landlords who are not complying with the borough’s tenant registry and inspection ordinance enacted last year.
Borough council has authorized borough solicitor Zachary Kansler to file lawsuits against property owners to enforce the local rule requiring the inspection of rental units for a variety of safety features — including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and the presence of mold — when a vacancy occurs. Council’s authorization gives the solicitor the right to file a lawsuit without seeking council approval for each case.
Under the ordinance that was revised last year, landlords are to pay $50 for the inspection and $30 to register their tenants.
Kansler said he would meet with administrators to learn which landlords are not complying with the ordinance. For a “bigger offender,” Kansler said he would consider taking legal action.
The solicitor said he does not have any particular landlord or apartment owner targeted for a lawsuit at this time.
If the borough were to file a lawsuit against a landlord not willing to obey the ordinance, Kansler said the goal would be to get the property owner to follow the rules and pay the fees, rather than seeking a fine for the violation.
The need for an ordinance requiring apartment inspections and a tenant registry arose following the fatal Feb. 26 fire that killed Michael V. Bova, 63, inside his second-floor apartment at 306 Pennsylvania Ave.
Irwin Fire Chief Justin Mochar said Bova’s apartment did not have an operating smoke detector.
Mochar asked council in March to enact an ordinance requiring inspections for smoke detectors when new tenants move into rental apartments. The chief estimated that there are no smoke detectors in 70 percent of the residential fire calls to which the department responds. In some instances, the batteries in the detectors are not working or the smoke detectors are disconnected from the wiring in the residence, Mochar said.
A tenant registry would give firefighters information on whether a residence is occupied, the chief said.
Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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