ROOSEVELT PARK, Mich. — The city of Roosevelt Park, with a population of around 4,000, has recently faced concerns from residents about a new ordinance proposal that would allow city officials to enter private homes deemed unsafe. The proposal sparked anxiety among homeowners, prompting questions about the extent of authority granted to city officials.
Two weeks ago, during a city council meeting, the ordinance was introduced. The original language stated that “the city manager or their designee shall have the right to enter a private property at any reasonable hour of the day or night for the purpose of making a sanitary or health survey.” This raised alarms for some residents who viewed it as an overreach of authority.
Roosevelt Park residents that spoke with FOX 17 were concerned with the original language, saying it would give the city unlimited authority.
However, during a subsequent meeting on Monday night, Mayor Aaron Langlois provided clarity regarding the proposal. He noted that the ordinance was modeled after one already in use in another city and that public feedback led to significant revisions. “We took city manager mostly out of it. We updated it to the state of Michigan building codes and whatnot. So it's a much cleaner, more updated ordinance,” said Mayor Langlois.
The mayor emphasized that the intent of the ordinance was to address dilapidated buildings, stating, “It gives the city an opportunity to get with the land owner, the property owner, and say, 'Hey, we're deeming your structure unsafe. Here's kind of what we think.'” Importantly, he clarified that property owners would have the opportunity to appeal to the city council if they disagree with the designation of their property as unsafe.
Langlois reassured residents that there would be multiple contacts with code enforcement and building inspectors before any decisive action would occur. “It wouldn’t be something where we would just show up to your house for the first time and say, 'Hey, your structure is unsafe,'” he said.
The updated ordinance passed with a 6-to-1 vote, providing renewed clarity that eased the concerns of many residents. While some citizens expressed fears about potential harassment stemming from the ordinance, others welcomed the changes, stating, “I appreciate that, and I hope ... the ordinance runs its course, does what it's supposed to do and is used for what it's supposed to do.”
As Roosevelt Park moves forward with the updated ordinance, officials aim to balance community safety with residents' rights.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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