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Residents urge Westminster to add rental housing inspectors after accounts of mold, pests and unsafe units
Summary
Sixteen speakers at the Jan. 27 City Council meeting urged the city to add three rental housing inspectors — including one bilingual Spanish speaker — to address long-standing repair problems in older apartment complexes. Council members asked staff to follow up and prepare a report on the program and next steps.
Sixteen residents and community advocates urged Westminster City Council on Jan. 27 to expand the city’s rental housing inspection program, citing repeated accounts of mold, pests, broken heat and plumbing, and safety hazards in older apartment complexes.
The concerns were raised during the meeting’s public-comment period by tenants and community organizers from several complexes, many speaking on behalf of United for a New Economy and Growing Home. Denise Barunda, community organizer for Growing Home, said the conditions she hears about through rental-assistance work often include “black mold ... bed bugs, unsafe staircases, and even aging plumbing issue that leaked human waste from the ceiling to people's houses.”
Why it matters: Speakers said tenants face health and safety threats and limited options to force repairs when landlords self-certify fixes. Several urged the council to fund three additional rental-housing inspectors — at least one fluent in Spanish — so the city can investigate complaints in person and hold landlords accountable.
What speakers told council: Mary Ramirez, a Westbury Apartments resident and United for a New Economy member, described nearly being evicted in late 2024 and ongoing issues at her unit: “I was almost evicted at the end of 20 24 because of my hours were cut,” she said, and added that poor insulation, broken appliances and gaps around installed air conditioners make homes unhealthy and costly to live in.
Other speakers described long waits for repairs, recurring pest infestations, broken entry locks and water damage. Several speakers said the city’s current, complaint-based approach often relies on landlord self-certification rather than in-person inspections, which they said leaves tenants vulnerable.
Council response and staff follow-up: City Manager Jody Andrews told the meeting, “Staff does listen, and any speaker requiring follow-up, our staff will follow-up with you.” Council members asked staff for a briefing and data on the rental program, including staffing levels, inspection and enforcement procedures, how often inspectors visit units in person, language-access capacity, and possible short-term steps while the budget is prepared.
Several council members said they want faster action than the normal budget cycle. Mayor Pro Tem and Councilors noted possible interim options — such as using community partners for translation, pursuing available grant funds, and reviewing civil penalties for noncompliant landlords — and asked staff to bring back a written report with program statistics and options for near-term and budget-year changes.
What council asked staff to prepare: Council members requested a citywide summary of rental-inspection activity; the number of inspectors now and over time; the program’s procedures for complaints, self-certification and follow-up; language-access provisions; and recommendations (including cost estimates) for adding inspectors and other enforcement or assistance options.
Ending: Council directed staff to contact the organizations and residents who spoke and to prepare the requested information for council review. None of the speakers’ requests were the subject of a formal vote at the Jan. 27 meeting.
