Could a disaster like the condo collapse in Florida happen here?
TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The condo collapse in Surfside is shining new light on building safety concerns. On Wednesday, the Florida county declared an additional 72 units unsafe and told residents to enter at their own risk. All Ohio buildings are regulated by a state-wide building code. According to InspectToProtect.com, a non-profit website that advocates for strengthening homes, Ohios building code is up to date. But thats just the first step to keeping our buildings safe. Its not surprising since Toledo has a lot of older housing stock that is not in good repair, the vast majority of people who are calling us with landlord tenant issues are calling us about repairs, says the Fair Housing Center of Toledos President and CEO Marie Flannery. Flannery says landlords are required to keep their rental properties habitable. But according to the Lucas County Department of Building Regulations, state law does not allow regular inspections of residential buildings to ensure ongoing structural integrity. Were working with the city to create a more robust code enforcement process, says Flannery. Currently, residential buildings are only inspected when they are built or when they undergo major renovations. That means its up to residents to recognize when work needs to be done. If a landlord is being difficult, renters have options, such as contacting their municipalitys code enforcement department. But the other thing that tenants can do is put their rent in escrow at the municipal court, the housing court, says Flannery. That means the court holds onto your rent money and doesnt release it until the landlord shows proof that the repairs have been made. I think that there is a need for more robust inspections and more robust code enforcement, says Flannery. Inspect to Protect has localized advice about how you can keep your home safe from threats in our area. It can tell you signs to look for that can indicate your home is in need of repairs. Those are tips for people who rent or own. For help with the rent escrow process, or to access landlord-tenant mediation services, contact the Fair Housing Center. Copyright 2021 WTVG. All rights reserved.