Council approves reduction of code-enforcement lien for property owner Invitation Homes

The council unanimously approved a request to reduce a long-standing code-enforcement lien related to an air-conditioning/inspection permit issue at a rental property managed by a subsidiary of Invitation Homes. Mickey Grindstaff, attorney for THR Florida Limited Partnership (an Invitation Homes subsidiary), told the council the company accepted responsibility for a permitting and inspection lapse that resulted after work was performed by a third-party vendor and that staff errors compounded the matter during the inspection and permit expiration process. “We take full responsibility for the situation that we find ourselves in…we relied on a third party vendor to our detriment,” Grindstaff said. Grindstaff said the mechanical problem had been addressed and that the company had attempted to correct the inspection record; the company proposed a reduced settlement amount and asked the council to accept $48,785.80 in full satisfaction of the $120,592.90 lien. The reduction had been recommended earlier by the special magistrate and the city manager; the council approved the applicant’s reduced figure by a 5-0 roll call vote. The council’s approval included an acknowledgement that Invitation Homes owns other properties in the city and that those are currently in compliance with codes. The mayor and councilmembers thanked the applicant for presenting the updated remediation steps and noted the company’s cooperation in resolving the matter. No criminal or unsafe conditions were reported in the presentation; the council’s vote resolved the outstanding lien amount per the terms discussed in the council packet.