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Landlord Questions Township’s Rental Ordinance
By Kristen Keleschenyi
The Tube City Almanac
February 02, 2022
Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News
A representative of a landlord that owns properties in North Versailles Twp. is questioning the municipality’s recently enacted rental registration ordinance.
Kurt Skvarla of Addleman Realty and Landmark Companies spoke at the January board of commissioners meeting. The company owns apartment complexes on Dix Drive, near the intersection of Routes 30 and 48.
Skvarla said the fees are a hardship for the family run business and might lead to raising the rent for their tenants.
“The North Versailles Twp. license fee on our Dix Drive property is 25 times higher than if that same building was located in East McKeesport,” Skvarla said. He asked for documentation illustrating how the fees were determined and what they are used for.
The township requires an occupancy permit and a license for all rental properties.
According to a form from the township, rental licenses range from $50 per unit for an apartment building with six or more units to $125 for a single-family home. The ordinance also requires a safety inspection by the township’s code enforcement officer any time a new tenant moves into a unit that has become vacant.
Other municipalities, including McKeesport, Trafford and Penn Hills, have similar ordinances. East Pittsburgh requires an annual license of $60 per residential unit, according to the borough’s website.
Township solicitor Greg Evashavik said the ordinance will have its first anniversary in June, and that officials will be able to report an entire year of results then.
“If it’s equivalent to what our costs and expenses are, then it’s a valid fee,” he said. “So far, based on our informal analysis (is), I can tell you it seems to be on track with what our expenses are.”
Commissioners George Thompson and Allen Wagner agreed to meet with Skvarla at a later date and discuss the issue further.
Kristen Keleschenyi is a freelance writer in North Versailles Twp. and one of the hosts of the Kristen & Amber Show on Tube City Online Radio at 5 p.m. Saturdays, 9 p.m. Mondays and 4 p.m. Thursdays. She may be reached at kbishop25@hotmail.com.
Originally published February 02, 2022.
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