Landlord Accreditation Program Lacks Participants

The installation of the Landlord Accreditation Program, which promotes safer housing for students, finalized more than one year ago, hosts only one accredited property on the list.

“A lot of landlords don’t want to get involved or be inspected,” said Capt. Karen Patterson of the University of Cincinnati Police Division.

The program, overseen by CUF (Clifton/University/Fairview Heights), promotes safety through a three-tier system that includes the police department, fire department and the Division of Community Development. There is no cost for the first two tiers, and completion of all tiers is not required.

“Residents and homeowners pushed the landlords to do this, but since it isn’t mandatory, there is not much else they can do,” Patterson said.

On the list of accredited properties is 2404 and 2405 Ohio Ave., owned and leased by Uptown Rentals, but those properties are not accredited. None of Uptown’s properties are accredited, said Johnna Mullikin, senior property manager.

Uptown Rentals attempted participation in the program, but failed on the first property during tier two with the fire department. The rental company owns more than 600 properties surrounding UC and would be a great addition to the program, Patterson said.

The sole and first accredited property as of mid-June – which completed accreditation in May 2008 – is owned and leased by JLH Properties at 2217 Stratford Ave. The Web site and list is the responsibility of Gerry Siegert’s office at UC. Siegert is the associate vice president of administration and finance.

“He has slapped our community in the face,” said Jennifer Helligrath of JLH. “We did everything we were supposed to do and he has single handedly thwarted the program with his lackadaisical attitude.”

Helligrath and Patterson understand that Siegert was appointed as the liaison of the project and it is his responsibility to post information to the Web site for incoming students and their parents.

“University housing is full so it doesn’t really hurt us,” Patterson said. “But our students who live off campus should not be victims of crime or fire like that situation in Miami [University] a couple years ago.”

First-year students should be aware of their options, Patterson said.

“[Students] like cheap housing,” she said. “People have nothing to lose by asking about it, and if the landlord refuses to have it done, would you really want to live there anyway?”

The problem is not only in the hands of the landlords, but UC as well.

“Landlords don’t trust UC and this is a prime example of why,” Helligrath said. “We have always wanted to work with UC, but it’s an issue of trust.”

Landlords keep up with the standards of property care and tenant needs, but the residents have to meet them half way.

The step above the Landlord Accreditation Program was an accountability agreement. Because college students may be negligent or reckless with the property, the landlords need a way to protect themselves, Helligrath said.

“I’m not going to jump through hoops to get all the paperwork that says we’re accredited when it goes nowhere,” Helligrath said.

Helligrath plans to continue proper maintenance of her properties, but will not participate in the accreditation program until the problems are resolved.