The Ames City Council began reviewing concerns submitted by the Ames Rental Association regarding changes to the Rental Housing Code at its May 13 meeting.

The ARA’s concerns were highlighted in a letter to the council back in July of 2013. From it, the council staff derived six major concerns to address.

The first concern the ARA raised was a desire to install egress windows only in bedrooms. Egress windows provide an escape route out of the building in case of an emergency.

“The ARA would like to require Code compliant egress windows in a bedroom, but not require an egress window where there is not a bedroom.”

The second concern raised was the paint on rental housing.

“The ARA does not believe a clear description exists in Chapter 13, Rental Housing Code that would tell a property owner definitively when repainting is required. Further, the ARA feels that painting is an aesthetic concern, rather than a life safety concern.”

3) “S” Traps: “The ARA would like S traps to be allowed as an exception (an exception to what?) as long as they are maintained in a safe and sanitary manner, and would like them included as an exception in Ames Municipal Code Section 13.600(4)(a)(i).”

4) Sump Pump Installation: “The ARA would like sump systems to be allowed as an exception (an exception to what?) as long as they are maintained in a safe and sanitary manner.”

5) Furnace and System Safety Certification: “The ARA would like to utilize another test that is less expensive and would like to have additional time, more than five years, for required certification of a single furnace that serves multiple dwelling units.”

6) Fire Alarm Safety Retrofitting: “The ARA would like to remove this requirement.”

The council staff provided comments on each of the concerns, citing the rental codes, the International Residential Code, and the International Fire Code. The city also provided recommendations from outside sources, including a six-page printout addressing the health and safety issues in regards to “S” traps.

“Some of the changes to the Code, like the egress windows clause, are intended to make rental housing safer for occupants,” Gloria Betcher, a councilmember, said. “Other proposed changes, like the protective treatment clause, are designed to help maintain the structural integrity of the properties.”

Betcher also said that, to her knowledge, most of the ISU dormitories and Greek community should already be in compliance with the Rental Housing Code.

City Council will consider Fire alarm safety retrofitting a separate issue from the rest of the RHC. On May 13 the council voted to adopt a July 1, 2020 compliance deadline for the retrofitting, though the council will read and vote on the issue twice more before an official decision is made.

The council will continue to investigate the ARA’s concerns and the definition of “habitable space” in correlation to the rental codes, before making a final decision on the proposed changes.

To read the staff report on the Ames Rental Association’s concerns you can visit: http://www.cityofames.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=16935

To read the council action form regarding the fire alarm system retrofitting you can visit: http://www.cityofames.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=16999