Summary: The Ohio Real Estate Investors Association (OREIA) believes that House Bill 422 provides a practical solution to the unfair and longstanding practice in Ohio in which individuals who have not contracted for service are made liable for unpaid debts accrued on their property by their tenants. This occurs in the form of a property tax lien placed on a property by a municipality for a service debt not contracted by that property owner rather than attempting collection of past due bills and/or discontinuing services to the consumers in a timely fashion. If a municipal corporation attempts to certify a lien to the county auditor against a property due to unpaid municipal water bills, HB 422 establishes a rebuttable presumption that amounts exceeding the termination amount cannot be certified as a lien against the property owner. Fundamentally, HB 422 is about fairness and financial responsibility. Property owners should not be held liable for a resident’s unpaid bills. As you know, housing providers operate on razor-thin profit margins. Unpaid water and garbage bills, or any layering of government fees (in this case, property tax liens) that we are subjected to, reduce profits for housing providers. Furthermore, it hinders the ability of our members to continue making meaningful investments in their properties in order to provide affordable, safe housing to Ohio’s residents. A property tax lien for debts incurred by a resident is directly related to a reduction in overall resources available to an owner for a property. HB 422 provides a fair resolution to all parties involved. Because rental property serves a valuable purpose by providing an affordable and available housing option to thousands of Ohioans, OREIA believes the passage of House Bill 422 will help provide necessary protections to ensure that these options continue. | Call to Action: In order to highlight the negative impact this unfair practice has on real estate investors; lawmakers need to hear from YOU! To help bolster OREIA’s case for why HB 422 is necessary, we are requesting any stories and evidence showing how detrimental this practice is on everyday Ohioans. Please gather any evidence you can (anecdotal stories, copies of unpaid bills, tax liens or correspondences with local water providers) and send it to OhioREIA@gmail.com. For official purposes, your written anecdotal stories and evidence should be addressed to Chairman Scott Wiggam as follows: DATE The Honorable Scott Wiggam
Ohio House of Representatives
77 South High Street
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215 Dear Chairman Wiggam:
--------- Your Story Here -------- OREIA will use the testimonials and evidence to lobby members of the Ohio House and Senate. OREIA’s engagement from local constituents is critical to conveying our message to legislators. Not only does OREIA have a broad, active presence across Ohio, but our members are VOTERS! OREIA’s membership is closely engaged at the local level, and monitor (and remember) which legislators support our causes, just as we support them at the ballot box. Again, please send any and all stories and evidence you wish to share to OhioREIA@gmail.com Thank you for your help passing this critical legislation! |