Brownsville council approves rental property ordinance
BROWNSVILLE – Landlords who are renting properties in the borough will now be required to document who is living in their buildings.
Council voted unanimously this week to approve a rental property ordinance. The borough’s code enforcement officer and a third-party inspector will be establishing a database of approximately 600 properties in Brownsville and will be rolling out the initiative over a two-year period. The registry will then be updated on a yearly basis.
“Approximately 54 percent of the properties in town are rentals,” said Council President Jack Lawver. “Up until now, we haven’t had any idea who is occupying those properties. The ordinance will help us keep track of who is living in Brownsville and let us know if our codes are being followed. It will also help property owners to protect their investments.”
Lawver said council still needs to determine the fee structure for the registry of rental properties.
In other business, council:
n Voted to rescind a $67,000 tax anticipation loan that was approved by a bank earlier in the year. Lawver said the borough won’t need the money because incoming revenues are projected to cover expenses for the remainder of 2019.
n Granted permission to a film production company to schedule a shoot in Brownsville for the first week of June. Production will take place downtown but won’t require Main Street to be closed. “This is a win-win for everyone involved,” said Lawver. “The borough will generate some extra revenue from fees and Brownsville will get more publicity. Also, some of our residents will have an opportunity to make money by working as extras or doing things such as picking up litter. And the production company will be able to use Brownsville as a beautiful backdrop for their film.”
In addition, a group of students from Brownsville Area High School presented their “Teen Space Project” to the council. The students hope to raise $250,000 to expand the Brownsville Free Public Library into a “safe zone” where youth can study, read and relax.