In an interview last week, Gray leaned back from his desk to illustrate his frustration with the tendency for governments to believe the passage of legislation will cure all ills.

"Too often, they'll say, 'We have a drug problem. Let's pass a law making drugs illegal.' "
He circled his arms in mock satisfaction. "There, the problem's solved. Or, 'We have a speeding problem, so we'll pass a speed limit law. Now the problem's solved.' "

His message is clear: An unenforced law is a useless law.

The idea of totally rewriting the city code is no longer being considered.
Rather, Gray says, "I think it's more important to actually enforce the ordinance we have while looking at some modifications" of it.

I think there should be strict guidlines that landlords must follow to interview and do backround checks on who rented properties and where they were rented in the past and what shape they left them in were the payers or did they pass on the rent due dates, do they have criminal records do they smoke did they have cops at their last rentals becasue of parties fights noise ect..
This information should be part of the application process, that is signed and notorized by both parties renter and landlord, and Lancaster city should require each landlord to submit a copy or it and their findings to the city housing department , mayors office and police department.
THIS IS NOW A BINDING CONTRACT.
If the contract is not abided by , by either party or any part of the agreement is broken the apllication and agreement should state that there will be no appeal process if either party is found at fault, by a judge and all cost will be paid to the city for it's time and court costs by the party at fault. NO IFS ANDS OR BUTS!
ASk for 2 months rent as a deposite plus have them sign and notorize an agreement that says they are liable for any and all back rent damages to the property, and any trash removal that may have to be done by the landlord.
At a cost up to $5000.00 60 days after vacating the property.
And the city has to assist the landlords on this enforcment we have way too many laxed laws with too many appeals in the system, have judges impose stricter penalties and fines and make it harder for appeals to be heard.Change the laws limit the appeals and help the landlords to protect themselves and the neighborhoods in which they rent properties from bad teneants.
I thnk this and more should before they rent it out on whim.
Also the should never abate anything there should be a running tally on tenent failure to abide by the housing laws as well as the landlords, a three strikes no rental licence for 1 year to all landlords and make it so any renter who breaks or violates the housing laws or codes more than 3 times in a 2 year period can not be elegible to rent a home anywhere in Lancaster city for one year.
There names would automatically come up when a landlord submits a requwst to rent form to the city for review when every time an application is filled out, which by the way a new city law should require an apllication number of people in the home and all of the names and previous locations of the occupants on the applications with ID for proof of who thy are and where they came from.
This proof of who he rents his property to would then be entered into a city datat base for use by city and law officals for reference in any incidents that may occure in that home and neighborhood.
THIS I AM SURE WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE UNDISIRABLES WHO RENT AND DISTROY HOME IN GOOD NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WOULD GIVE MANY OF THE LANDLORDS PEACE OF MIND ABOUT WHO RENT THEIR PROPERTY.
The people I rented to were screened by a reputable realtor. They were the best qualified out of 7 families, to rent the property. SO MUCH FOR PEACE OF MIND! If I had known how, I would have had it limited to section 8 rentals. This way, I could have asked for $2,000 per month and the damages would have been paid for.
Now, what do you do when the people totally ignore the lease, totally ignore the eviction notices, totally refuse to pay the rent and totally refuse to pay the judgements against them? I'll never see the $15,000 I'm out, waiting for the system and the tennants. I had to keep peying for the property, I had to pay to repair the damages, I had to EAT all court costs. The bums just walked away laughing.