Indiana

South Bend landlord registry gets resistance from realtor groups as council is set to consider it

The South Bend Common Council is prepared to consider a proposed landlord registry at its meeting Monday night, May 9, but two real estate groups are urging the council to hold off.

The ordinance would require landlords with property in South Bend city limits to pay a $5 per year fee to register an unlimited number of properties they own in the city. Landlords would be required to include their name, business address and phone number, email address, contact information for property managers, tax ID numbers for all properties, statements about code violations and delinquent taxes, how many rental units are available on each property and the contact information for any person authorized to act on behalf of the property owner in legal issues.

Council President Tim Scott told 95.3 MNC in March that the registry would be used by officials to crack down on slumlords and provide relief for neighbors who live near nuisance properties. 

Fines would start at $100 and reach up to $1,000 for violations.

That is simply too much information to be effective, South Bend-Mishawaka Association of Realtors told the South Bend Tribune, and the fines are too high.

The association is asking the council to table the proposal until it’s studied more.

Real Estate Investors Association of North-Central Indiana also opposes the landlord registry and is encouraging the common council to instead look to court-appointed receivership to take care of problem properties.

The South Bend Common Council meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth floor of the County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Road, South Bend.

Read more about the groups’ opposition to the ordinance in the story from the South Bend Tribune.

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