Landlords loudly protest fee for inspection of apartments

Milford officials say the inspection of every apartment in town for overcrowding is only the first phase of an effort to root out poor conditions in the town's rental housing.

Health director Paul Mazzuchelli said he envisions the campaign as a "continuous work in progress," despite complaints from some landlords over a $50-a-unit fee charged for the current round of inspections.

The inspections of the town's approximately 4,000 rental units are more than halfway done. Mazzuchelli said he now believes the program should be extended, with inspections to ensure compliance with plumbing, electricity, and other housing codes.

"Many of our residential rental properties are at least 65 years old. Many are in a declining state of maintenance," he said. "I feel that Milford should continue to increase the pace and scope of inspections."

About 60 landlords, most of them from the town's Portuguese-speaking community, interrupted a recent selectmen's meeting by jeering and booing Mazzuchelli as he spoke about the inspections. The police were called to help clear the packed room.

Landlords are being asked to return to the selectmen's meeting Monday, which will be held in the upper chamber of Town Hall to accommodate more people.

Mazzuchelli said the current fee is not going to change, because it stems from a Town Meeting vote in 2005 that initiated the inspection program.

The only question is whether the town will continue to charge the fee next year and beyond, he said.

Maria Valenca, a Milford landlord who has led the protest effort, said it's the thought of recurring fees that is frustrating landlords.

"We are not against the inspections. We are against the fee [being charged] annually," Valenca said. "If this is for the benefit of the town, why are the owners of multifamily houses being singled out and discriminated against?"

Selectmen chairman Bill Buckley said he believes the town will find a way to keep the program going without continuing to charge the fee every year.

Buckley said town officials and the landlords should engage in a civil dialogue. This was missing from the last meeting, he said.

"Nothing constructive came from it. It was a lot of people talking at a high volume and no one being heard," Buckley said.

Selectman Brian Murray said the response of the landlords at the meeting was "unreasonable and disrespectful."

"At the point they start jeering town employees, you just cannot have a productive conversation," Murray said.

Valenca, however, said she doesn't believe the landlords did anything wrong. She instead blamed Mazzuchelli and Murray for "raising their voices." She said this set off the response from the crowd.

Valenca would not predict what will happen during Monday's meeting at Town Hall but said she wouldn't be surprised if even more landlords attend.

Buckley said he hopes the landlords don't just come to dispute the fee, saying they should bring some ideas about how the town might deal with the bigger problem: poor conditions in rental housing.

"I'd really like to know, what do they think town government can do to address overcrowding and public safety issues?" Buckley said. "It would be helpful if they had some solutions."