Rental Action Management Program (RAMP)
Update Meeting with the City of Fayetteville RAMP Staff
September 9, 2013
Present: FRAR property managers
City staff present: Lisa gentry – Crime Analyst for RAMP, Rachael Songalewski – Crime Analyst for RAMP
Jim Rutherford – Sr. Code Enformcement Administrator, Bart Swanson – Housing & Code Enforcement Division Manager
What Happened: City staff and local property managers gathered for a meeting to discuss the RAMP program. The RAMP program was implemented July of 2012.
Background (for those new to the program):
- The RAMP program allows city code officer to inspect single family rental homes, duplexes and triplexes but exempts apartments
- The Fayetteville City Council has the ability to add an apartment complex to the RAMP program
- Landlords will be fined $1,000 for a property that violates three or more code violation in one year
- Landlords will be fined $1,000 if a property is in the top 10% of properties for police calls and crimes – crime analysis are conducted every 6 months
- The city has established a Residential Rental Property Review Board for the purpose of hearing appeals from an owner of residential rental property
- There is an appeal process to the City Council for properties proposed for entry into the RAMP program due to criminal activity
- Once in the RAMP program, the property must be free of violations for one year or the owner looses his right to rent the property for (1) one year
Talking Points:
- The Chair of the Rental Registration Review Board is trying to work with the county staff & commissioners on providing property management information on the tax record
- During the last evaluation 317 properties were identified with 30 warning notices sent to property owners
- Problems arise when the property owner receives the violation and does not communicate with the property management company
- Some property management companies are placing stickers on the rental property door/window for code enforcement staff
- A property owner can be fined twice (once for a code violation and once for crime)
- One owner can have more than (1) RAMP violation
- The RAMP department uses the tax record to get notification information
- Property managers can notify RAMP staff (Wendy & Rachael) of current properties they manage and staff will make the change in their RAMP database
- The RAMP department will soon have software that will link records with the county
- Suggestion – a volunteer online property registration (FREE based on current legislation)
- Communication is the key with the program. The staff of RAMP is available at all times for questions and discussion of violations
RAMP staff contact information:
Rachael Songalewski
rsongalewski@ci.fay.nc.us
(910) 433-1462
Lisa Gentry
lgentry@ci.fay.nc.us
(910) 433-1461
Sidebar: A copy of the ordinance can be found at the FRAR office.
