Advocates call on city leaders to take action against absentee landlords

CHARLOTTE — Two groups in Charlotte are calling on local leaders to address an ongoing issue for neighbors: absentee landlords.

OneMeck and Action NC sent a letter to city council members imploring them to address the negligence from landlords that often results in tenants becoming unhouse.

Channel 9′s Almiya White spoke to Robert Dawkins with Action NC, and he says they want city council to implement stronger housing code enforcement.

“We want tighter restrictions,” Dawkins told White on Friday.

The letter comes after unhealthy living conditions led to tenants being displaced at Lamplighter Inn and Tanglewood. Neighbors faced being without adequate heat and utilities as temperatures dropped, among other issues.

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Carolyn Toney lived in Tanglewood just two weeks ago.

“People shouldn’t have to live like that, they should not, where they don’t have hot water, they don’t have heat,” Toney said.

“Landlords don’t have to be held accountable for anything except the civil penalty, which they decide not to pay,” Dawkins said.

Dawkins says oftentimes, landlords also fail to make necessary repairs, to the point that units begin to deteriorate.

To avoid that, he says the city should utilize its own repair remedy.

“That would allow the city to make repairs on a property, and if the landlord doesn’t pay them back, then they can put a lien on the property and eventually they can take it,” Dawkins said.

Toney says the city should step up.

“I feel they got to put more action and really come down on these landlords that’s not doing what they supposed to do,” she said. “Do not accept slumlords having people live in the conditions that they live in, paying rent and nothing is being done.”

Dawkins says with stronger policies, more tenants can remain housed.

“It’s a problem that we’re not gonna build our way out, we’ve got to care our way out and I don’t think that people in Charlotte care enough if it doesn’t impact them,” Dawkins said.

White reached out to city council members on Friday. We only heard back from Renee Johnson of District 4. She said city council understands the valid concerns of the community and they’re working with city leaders to develop solutions that better protect residents.

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