By james art 
Topeka, Kan. (WIBW) – The city of Topeca strives to add a new tool to its belt for dealing with property maintenance problems.
If adopted, the HB2099 will change this State Law to allow accidental property inspections for certain types of dwellings in Topeka.
“What we want is that Topeka’s city can have a regular randomized inspection program for specific apartment complexes where there are state subsidized rents,” says Amanda Stanley, Topeka’s city lawyer.
Lobbying efforts in the city began last year after inspections revealed high levels of carbon monoxide and raw sewers in the basement of the Timberlee apartment complex. In the end, four units were sentenced to 18 people, moved.
“There were many public protests about the condition of these apartments,” Stanley says.
Stanley says new legislation can be a step towards catching code disorders before health hazards become.
The HB2099 will change the existing complaint -based system, which causes tenants to file a complaint before a check can be started.
Stanley says this impedes their ability to report an anonymous coda violations, creating fear of revenge.
“What we see is that people are afraid to report because they fear that their landlord will know because they do it,” she says. “If you say,” He, we received a complaint about the maintenance of real estate in an apartment 300, “They know that it was the tenant in an apartment 300 asked.”
The one page bill includes a provision for tenants or landlords who do not want to succumb to a random check.
“This allows us to receive search orders and say that we have a probable reason that there are real problems with the code in this apartment,” Stanley says.
The opposition of the bill raises concerns about the potential for unreasonable searches and seizures. Stanley claims that there is no threat to the fourth rights to repair the tenant.
“It’s about the desire to help tenants, it’s about helping tenants,” Stanley says. “It’s still to agree, it’s about entering, but it’s about a tool to help you differently.”
If adopted, the bill will only apply to Topeka. In addition, tenants reserve the opportunity to file complaints and ask for checks.
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