Don’t waste money on housing inspections

Reading the Dec. 25 Bee, we all learn about another property (Hotel California) with substandard housing. Fresno has been aware for years (1996) of this situation yet seems unable to get the owner to comply. How will spending (wasting) thousands of dollars on inspectors to inspect every Fresno apartment solve anything?

There are major, known violations going for extended periods of time and yet no enforcement? Walking the grounds of an apartment complex can tell you a lot about the complex without violating tenant’s privacy. From my perspective, I am not comfortable with nor do I think it’s legal to say whether I want it or not. An inspector will inspect my apartment.

This inspector, without my permission, will enter my home. This is a waste of money. It is an invasion of privacy. And it certainly is not going to help all the tenants already living in known slum conditions have their conditions improved if there is no enforcement. To me, this is the key.

Fresno has inspectors currently doing inspections, finding serious code violations, and doing nothing. Inspecting every Fresno apartment will solve nothing except to waste more taxpayer dollars that should be spent on enforcement.

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Don’t waste money on housing inspections."