Dear Landlord/Property Manager:

City Council is close to passing a new Lead Based Paint Bill that would require ALL landlords and Property Managers to do the following when renting a unit/home inPhiladelphia:

1. Every unit you rent, it will be mandatory to HIRE a City approved Lead inspector to conduct a Lead Paint test, which will cost between $100 to $250 per unit.

2. If the test finds that lead dust is in the property the owner will be responsible for having the unit/home Remediated prior to being able to rent the unit, which is estimated to cost  THOUSANDS of dollars per unit-not including the time that the unit is vacant while the lead is being remediated.

3. The penalty for not getting the unit Certified Lead free by the City is steep. Including but not limited to the tenant being able to recoup (2) years worth of rent from the Landlord.

This is a serious issue that we feel will negatively impact the value of city real estate making rental properties less attractive. This Bill will also cost each Landlord a tremendous amount of out of pocket expenses.

The Philadelphia Board of Realtors was successful in getting a few small changes made to the Bill last week after the public hearing at City Hall.

The Committee voted to send the bill to the full Council and is scheduled for final passage Thursday, December 8, 2011!!!!!!!!

We are attempting to get further changes to the bill and we need your IMMEDIATE help. Please contact Mayor Nutter and as many members of City Council as you can and urge them to support the following to the exemptions to the definition of target housing in 6-802 (12):

A simple email stating,

RE: Lead Based Paint Bill

Dear Council member,
Please support exemption to the Lead based Paint Bill, 6-802 (12) (d): PROPERTIES NOT USED AS A RESIDENCE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 7.

CLICK HERE: City Council Contact Info For All of Philadelphia City Council Members contact information. Please email them today!

Thank you,
Jim Onesti
Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors
jonesti@mccannteam.com