Gotta love Craigs List! Is it registered with the City? Does it have the exception to have that many people in it? Is it fair to single family neighborhoods to use it like a Boarding House?
Date: 2008-07-21, 2:51PM
Hello, I am looking for 2 more roommates (male/female) to move in for the upcoming year. To tell you a little bit about the house: it has 4 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, living room, dining room, kitchen, parking in back (enough for 4+ cars), basement with washer and dryer. Located on West College, walking distance from campus. Utilities are not included and vary from month to month. Pets are allowed. Serious individuals looking at the house will have first priority. Currently in a lease with Salisbury Housing. If you would like to cut out the middle man, you can reach them directly at 410 749 BBBB. In reference to 416 West College. The difference in rent is from the size of the rooms.
West College Ave. at Camden Ave. google map yahoo map
cats are OK - purrr
dogs are OK - wooof
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Enough for 4+ cars?
ReplyDeleteI thought the limit was 4 people? How many are in there now that he/she is adding more to?
Thanks to Gary Comegys and his great "compromise," the neighborhoods have stayed screwed by the landlords.
This is funny. Is this person openly advertising to violate the housing code and if so will the city act upon this information?
ReplyDeleteGPM 2001, LLC owns it, anyone know who they are?
ReplyDeleteYou're kidding right Anon 1219? Don't count on the city to act on anything related to 4 to 2, they only act to benefit SAPOA
To: debbiescampbell@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteSubject: 4 to 2
Hi Debbie,
I vaguely remember shortly after moving to Salisbury in 2000 that there was a big to-do about "4 to 2", or limiting landlords on the number of non-related tenants living in one rental unit. I've worked in property management since that time and have learned that the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against people based on familial status, which would include, in my opinion, those who are unrelated.
Is this rule still in effect? Has it been contested? Has it been examined by a lawyer to determine its legality?
I'm honestly just curious. I'm no longer in property management because I stay home with my children. I've been concerned for awhile and just now got to asking.
Thanks for your time!
Angela
To: Angela
Cc: Tom Stevenson; John Pick
Subject: RE: 4 to 2
Ms. xxxx -
Thank you for contacting me. Zoning plays an important part in addressing the questions that you have asked. I am forwarding your e-mail to
John Pick, the city Administrator, and Tom Stevenson, the Director of Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance for a comprehensive response to your inquiry. Again, thank you for your interest and for raising a question. John/Tom, please copy me on your response to Ms. xxxx.
Regards.
Debbie Campbell
member, Salisbury City Council
On Jul 17, 2008, at 5:57 PM, John Pick wrote:
Angie - The attorney, who is filling in for the City Attorney while he is on vacation, has responded by saying that, generally, provisions in zoning codes limiting the number of unrelated individuals that can reside in a single-family residential zone have been upheld in the courts. In the cases she has reviewed, the limitation is accomplished through the definition of "family," as has been in done in our code. The courts have generally approved of this approach and she is unaware of this type of classification being condemned by federal law. I hope that this proves helpful. John
To: John Pick
Cc: Deborah S. Campbell; Tom Stevenson; ALL City Council Members; Barrie
Tilghman; Brenda Colegrove; Lore Chambers; Cindy MacDonald
Subject: Re: 4 to 2
Hi John,
Can you tell me the word for word definition of both? If my husband and I decide to become landlords, it would help to be clear. I appreciate you looking into this! Thank you very much!
Angela
Cc: debbiescampbell@comcast.net, tstevenson@ci.salisbury.md.us, ALLCityCouncilMembers@ci.salisbury.md.us, and 4 more…
Angela - I think that the easiest thing to do is to refer you to the section of the City Code in which the term "Family" is defined. This can be accessed at the City's web site www.ci.salisbury.md.us. Once there, you can click on City Government and then click on "Charter and City Codes". The definition is found in Chapter 17 at Section 17.04.120. I
hope that this helps. If you have further questions, please let me know.
John
(cut and pasted from 17.04.120:
“Family” means and includes, subject to the exceptions stated below:
I. A core consisting of one person living alone or one of the following groups living as a single house-keeping unit:
A. Two or more persons who are related by blood, marriage, adoption, guardianship or other duly au-
thorized custodial relationship, such as foster children, placed by an agency licensed to operate in Maryland;
II. In addition to its core member(s) a family may include:
A. One or more persons who provide health care or assisted living services to any core member of the family that are essential to the health, safety or general well-being of such core member, by performing such services at least eight hours each day.
B. One or more domestic servants who perform personal or household services at the dwelling or dwelling unit at least eight hours each day.
C. In the case of an owner-occupied dwelling unit in an R-5, R-8 or R-10 district, one person who is not a core member of the family, provided that no more than two unrelated persons, not including any permitted provider of health care or assisted living services, may reside in the dwelling.
(snipped some here)
III. A “family” may not include or consist in whole or in part of:
A. Any society, club, fraternity, sorority, association, lodge, federation, or like organization.
B. Occupants of a rooming house or boarding house.
C. Persons whose association as a group is temporary or seasonal in nature.
D. Persons living in a group arrangement as a result of criminal conduct.
IV. The “family” definition shall be applied to occupancy in accordance with the requirements of state and federal law. "
Federal Fair Housing law's definition of familial status, which is protected if you are related or unrelated:
"Familial status" means one or more individuals (who have not attained the age of 18 years) being domiciled with--
(1) a parent or another person having legal custody of such individual or individuals; or
(2) the designee of such parent or other person having such custody, with the written permission of such parent or other person.
The protections afforded against discrimination on the basis of familial status shall apply to any person who is pregnant or is in the process of securing legal custody of any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years."
To: webmaster@nationalfairhousing.org
Good afternoon,
I am a former property manager and I'm concerned over the city of Salisbury's policies regarding housing and occupant limits. They currently have an ordinance that in particular neighborhoods, only 2 non-related persons can live together. I've sent a message to the person in charge of zoning (John Pick) and he states that because of the definitions of "family", this has been upheld in courts. However, I'm fairly certain that this has not been upheld in the courts, yet the ordinance still exists.
Can you tell me, is it against Federal Fair Housing to state that no more than a certain number of non-related occupants be allowed to live together? Is that discrimination based on familial status? Here is the website for the city of Salisbury's zoning codes: http://www.ci.salisbury.md.us/Portals/0/CityCodes/Title172007.pdf.
If this is a violation of fair housing, what can be done to change it?
Thanks for any help you can offer!
Angela
...I haven't heard back from that message yet. I'll be sure to post it when I do.
Not allowing landlords to rent based on familial status alone (that being, unrelated by blood, marriage, or otherwise) IS against Federal Fair Housing. By limiting landlords on number of occupants, you are not solving the problem. It requires the landlords taking the time to make good leases and enforce them properly. You are legally allowed to put provisions in your lease stating that noise violations and visits by police are grounds for eviction. Get landlords who know their job, and you'll see parties stop.....or at the very least slow down dramatically.
It is unbelievable to me that the county government is requiring landlords to violate federal law. Do you think the council members are willing to be the ones paying the $10,000 fines and do the jail time when one of these landlords gets busted not renting to people because they aren't related to one another?
Angela from ACLU??? That Angela?
ReplyDeleteSo, domestic partners would not be a family and therefore in violation. That seems like a potential Federal case...
ReplyDeleteNope. Sorry :(
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm? Continue to pick on the kids going to school to be our future doctors, lawyers, POLITICIANS, MAYORS, teachers etc. etc. etc. etc. etc., or deal with the REAL PROBLEMS of this city. Has anyone looked around recently. Give it up already. Yeah, kick all of the unrelated tenants out so not only can most of Salisbury's businesses be vacant, but the homes also. Sounds like a plan!! This will help the city prosper.
ReplyDelete