A very worrisome lawsuit has been filed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, against the City of Chicago which recently passed an ordinance that requires mortgage holders to register vacant buildings 30 days after they become vacant or 60 days after a mortgage goes into default, whichever is later, pay a registration fee, keep the premises free of weeds or trash and make sure they are structurally sound.
The lawsuit says that:
….the city’s ordinance encroaches on the FHFA’s role as the sole regulator and supervisor of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It says Chicago cannot mandate how the agencies handle vacant buildings for which they are the designated mortgagee.
The problem is that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac own about 258,000 mortgages in Chicago so a considerable number of vacant structures would be unregulated if the lawsuit succeeds. Illinois law makes it almost impossible for a municipality to cut weeds, fix up property and add the costs to the property tax bill. This has really hampered our ability to address problem properties which is why ordinances like the one in Chicago are so important.
At the Springfield conference, my topic was effective code enforcement programs. After hearing about all of the substantive issues involving healthy homes, it was really a privilege to be able to speak about how to accomplish our mutual goals. There was a lot of frustration over the problems we are facing because budgets are being slashed, programs cancelled and properties are getting worse because of the foreclosure mess. Despite this, it was important to find out that there are a lot of committed professionals who are forming partnerships to address these issues. And, there are steps inspectors can take that don’t cost much money to implement, for example, making sure that renovators are certified in lead paint removal before issuing a building permit. Who knows how many health problems children are spared because of this simple procedure? The training in Springfield was offered free of cost as were many of the publications. I hope my readers will make use of the links I have created to find these organizations. I want to thank Eleanor Davis from the IDPH, Lead Paint Program, for inviting me to speak at the conference and giving me the opportunity to meet the other speakers. I hope it will lead to even better enforcement opportunities.
One of the most interesting speakers at the Springfield conference was Dr. Catherine Karr, who is a pediatric environmental health specialist. She reviewed a wide variety of home health hazards including lead paint, radon, mold, carbon monoxide, fire, and pests. So many of these topics intersect with property maintenance and fire prevention enforcement. She is a member of a group called PEHSU (Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units) which is a national network of academic-based centers of expertise that service health care providers, public health professionals, communities and families. Asthma, for example, is a huge health problem for children and adults and is made worse by living in homes that have mold problems and pest infestation. Illinois is included in the Great Lakes Centers’ Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit based at the University of Illinois at Chicago. All areas of the country are part of some regional unit. PEHSU is a great resource for information on all of these issues. When inspectors are dealing with a property where children live, the long term effects of the unhealthy conditions should be a top priority for enforcement.
Julie Morris from the EPA addressed the Springfield conference on “Lead-Based Paint, Renovation, Repair and Painting”. She discussed the various rules and exclusions involved in renovating buildings that may have lead paint problems. She encouraged people to let her know when someone violates these rules. EPA receives complaints from a variety of sources, especially certified renovators who see illegal work being done by other companies. There are a variety of resources available at http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/lscp-renov-materials.htm including some new publications on compliance and a new training guide on renovation. She mentioned that in Minnesota all building permits must be checked for RPP certification.
Lynne Page Snyder from NASCSP, the National Association for State Community Services Programs, spoke about “weatherization plus health” at the Springfield conference. Funds from the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and DHHS Community Services Block Grants are being used to assist low-income families to improve the energy efficiency of low-income homes. NASCSP is a professional membership organization for the State and territorial administrators of these programs. WAP’s mission is to reduce energy costs for low-income families, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities, and children, while ensuring their health and safety. While the weatherization assistance program is not specifically aimed at creating healthy homes, it can lead to fixing property maintenance problems. For example, kitchen and bath exhaust fans may be installed to combat mold and moisture problems. Window replacements may reduce lead paint hazards. NASCSP has put on conferences around the country to try and connect organizations and do cross-training. It is launching a public website soon that will map WAP and healthy homes programs nationwide.
