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Residents and tenants urge action on slumlords, code enforcement; council schedules proposed inspections ordinance
Summary
Dozens of public commenters described pest infestations, mold, electrical hazards and alleged poor enforcement at properties managed by several large landlords; speakers called for a city ordinance requiring regular inspections of multifamily properties (item 19) and stronger enforcement. Council moved item 19 to a future agenda for study.
A broad set of public commenters at the Aug. 6 meeting described deteriorating rental conditions across multiple wards, urged stronger code enforcement and asked the council to adopt an ordinance requiring regular inspections of multifamily housing.
Tenants and advocates singled out property management companies by name — Bridge Management, IE Hightower/IE Rentals, PAMA Management — and alleged chronic problems including mold, rodent infestations, electrical hazards, water intrusion and unaddressed habitability issues. Several speakers said management intercepts tenant requests, that code enforcement responses were delayed or incomplete, and that some residents face retaliation after complaining.
Speakers included renters, organizers with the Inland Empire Tenants Union and IE Tenants Union, and neighborhood advocates. Alisha Nash of IE Tenants Union summarized canvass results and said tenants reported rats, gas leaks, mold and habitability problems; she asked the city to hold property owners and management companies accountable. Esther Gonzales (IE Tenants Union) and others described long‑standing repairs and repeated rent increases without repairs.
Multiple speakers called for the council to adopt proposed Item 19 — an ordinance to require inspections at multifamily properties and improve enforcement. Alexis Teodoro, worker‑rights director for the Pomona Day Labor Center, and Diane Lopez, a licensed clinical social worker, linked housing instability to broader community harms and urged the city to protect vulnerable residents. Public commenters said poor rental conditions contribute to displacement and homelessness.
Council later placed Item 19 on a future agenda for study, along with related items; council voted to move three future items (including the proposed inspection ordinance) to future meetings without debate and the slate passed unanimously.
City staff acknowledged code‑enforcement capacity constraints in public responses during the meeting and said staff will provide requested allocation and expenditure details for previously formed assessment districts. Several tenants asked for regular follow‑up, improved inspection protocols, and a clearer line of accountability when code complaints are filed.
The meeting record shows intense community interest in tenant protections; councilmates and staff did not adopt a new inspection ordinance at the meeting but agreed to add the proposal for future consideration.
