Home Local News ORANGE CITY SUED OVER RENTAL INSPECTION ORDINANCE

ORANGE CITY SUED OVER RENTAL INSPECTION ORDINANCE

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A JUDGE HEARD ARGUMENTS MONDAY MORNING AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY OF ORANGE CITY, IOWA SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO INSPECT THE RENTAL HOMES OF RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT WANT INSPECTORS INSIDE THEIR DWELLING.

THE CIVIL SUIT WAS BROUGHT BY RESIDENTS AND LANDLORDS WHO ARE BEING ASSISTED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE.

THEY AND THEIR ATTORNEY, JOHN WRENCH, CLAIM IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE IOWA CONSTITUTION TO USE THE ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS ALLOWED BY CITY CODE:

OCSUIT1 OC……….PROBABLE CAUSE. :21

WRENCH SAYS THE CITY HAS NO PROBABLE CAUSE REGARDING POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS;

OCSUIT2 OC……..INDIVIDUALIZED PROBABLE CAUSE. :12

ATTORNEY ZAC CLAUSEN REPRESENTED ORANGE CITY AT THE HEARING AND TOLD JUDGE PATRICK TOTT THAT THE CITY HAS CONDUCTED INSPECTIONS, BUT NOT AT WRENCH’S CLIENT’S PROPERTIES:

OCSUIT3 OC………CORRECT. :16

CLAUSEN ASKED THE JUDGE TO DISMISS THE LAWSUIT;

OCSUIT4 OC………AT THIS POINT. :21

JUDGE TOTT TOLD THE ATTORNEYS HE WOULD ISSUE A RULING ON THE CASE IN THE FUTURE.