CITY EYES RENTAL HOUSING OPTIONS ISSUE MORE URGENT AFTER DEADLY FIRE.Byline: Angie Valencia-Martinez Staff Writer SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - Hampered by state and federal laws preventing cities from limiting the number of people living in a residence, Simi Valley is looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. other ways to regulate overcrowding overcrowding overcrowding of animal accommodation. Many countries now publish codes of practice which define what the appropriate volumetric allowances should be for each species of animal when they are housed indoors. Breaches of these codes is overcrowding. in single-family homes. The issue has taken on urgency following a January house fire that swept through a crowded home on Cochran Street - killing one man and injuring two other people. More than a dozen renters occupied the three-bedroom home, living in a converted garage, makeshift bedroom and two trailers. The fire, which left 13 people homeless, compelled city leaders to identify measures to address such safety hazards. At its meeting Monday, the City Council was presented with three alternatives it may legally take to combat overcrowding. The city can adopt ordinances that require registration of rental units with regular housing inspections; prohibit pro·hib·it tr.v. pro·hib·it·ed, pro·hib·it·ing, pro·hib·its 1. To forbid by authority: Smoking is prohibited in most theaters. See Synonyms at forbid. 2. boarding houses in low-density neighborhoods; and boost enforcement of building and housing code violations. ``(Laws) won't deter us from being proactive,'' said Councilman Steve Sojka. ``This type of activity isn't looked upon favorably fa·vor·a·ble adj. 1. Advantageous; helpful: favorable winds. 2. Encouraging; propitious: a favorable diagnosis. 3. . We want to discourage it. We're going to do that to the full extent of the law that we can.'' The city will not look at owner-occupied housing, only rental properties, officials said. ``As a business, we should make sure the business is conducting itself with the public's health and safety in mind,'' said Councilman Glen Becerra. ``We are allowed to check businesses. This is a business.'' A recent California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). attorney general's opinion determined that cities can regulate boarding houses in residential zones, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. staff. But this option seems the most challenging. ``How do you get inside someone's home?'' said Sojka. ``We don't want to be Big Brother, but we want public safety and welfare at the forefront.'' The city could adopt a definition that resembles the one that the attorney general found acceptable. Still, city leaders ask, how do you enforce it? The City Council will receive additional reports from the city attorney regarding the recommendations in subsequent months. ``I feel bad because there are a lot of people that need housing,'' said Mayor Pro Tem [Latin, For the time being.] An abbreviation used for pro tempore, Latin for "temporary or provisional." A person who acts as a temporary substitute serves pro tem. Barbra Williamson. ``A lot of people in the 'work force' need work-force housing. Overcrowding impacts the neighborhoods, residents ... it's a bad situation all around. The city of Simi Valley needs to get a handle on it and that's what we're going to do.'' Angie Valencia-Martinez, (805) 583-7604 angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com |
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