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City weighs response to House Bill 92 that would shift water-bill responsibility from landlords
Summary
City Manager Michael Johnson briefed council on House Bill 92, which would remove the requirement that property owners be responsible for water bills; council discussed options including higher security deposits or requiring bills be held in the property owner's name, with Law Director Costa Mastros cautioning state law may preempt local home-rule changes.
City Manager Michael Johnson told council that House Bill 92, passed by the Ohio House, would remove the obligation for property owners to be responsible for water bills — a change that could shift collection and enforcement responsibilities. Johnson suggested possible local responses such as increasing security deposits or changing municipal billing rules to place the bill in the property-owner's name, and he said staff is reviewing legal options.
Law Director Costa Mastros cautioned that state law can preempt home-rule changes if the bill's language is sufficiently specific, and council members raised practical concerns about deposits for large residential properties and how billing changes could affect tenants, landlords and multifamily facilities such as Heritage Place. The city manager said staff would prepare options for committee review and that a formal council letter to the senator might be considered.
