Madison - It will soon be easier for smaller municipalities to force
the hand of absent and
negligent landlords with the passage of the Erpenbach/Berceau Senate
Bill 413, receivership for abatement of residential nuisances bill in
both houses.

“This bill gives Fitchburg the same effective tools held by other
municipalities to deal with
properties in which a landlord refuses to keep up his or her building,
may rent to drug dealers, or
in other ways makes the property a problem or even a danger for the
neighborhood and the
responsible tenants who want a decent place to live,” said
Representative Berceau.

Currently first and second class cities have the authority to file in
court before a judge for
receivership of a property if the landlord has refused to meet the
requirements of the city to
improve their property when codes and ordinances are broken. SB 413
allows all other
municipalities the same leverage with negligent landlords.

“This is really about fairness – an absent and negligent landlord
hurts the quality of life and
home values in every community. All of our cities, towns, and villages
should have the ability to go to court to protect the quality of life
they are working for in their communities – SB 413 will give everyone
that authority,” said Senator Erpenbach.

SB 413 was drafted at the request of Fitchburg Mayor Jim Allen and
City Council Chair Andrew
Potts. The bill is now available to be signed by Governor Doyle.