City of Casper Wants Ideas About Proposed Housing Safety Ordinance

The City of Casper wants your suggestions about a proposed ordinance about unsafe living conditions and a way to take action against landlords who won't maintain their properties, according to a news release on Friday.

"Currently, we don't believe we have the tools to respond," City Manager Carter Napier said at council's work session on Tuesday.

If a landlord refuses to make repairs, and/or provide for basic necessities -- heat, water, sewer, or electric -- residents in many cases have few options for housing and are forced to live in subpar conditions.

"The City and its partner agencies receive phone calls every week from citizens that are being subjected to horrific living conditions. Unfortunately, most times, the City cannot offer assistance because of a lack of legal authority to intervene," according to the memo on the agenda for the work session.

The proposed ordinance about unsafe conditions would trigger an inspection based on a complaint without the need for a permit for an inspection, Dan Elston of the city's building department said Tuesday.

The ordinance's listed specific unsafe conditions would give the city the ability to inspect and enforce health and safety codes. They also would give renters, neighbors, employees and social service agencies the ability to file a complaint to trigger an inspection.

The City Council is asking for feedback on the ordinance.

Comments and feedback can be submitted via the City of Casper website, and will be accepted through Friday, April 3.