Is This Constitutional?

[Jason F]

I live here in Gainesville, FL, where the Univ. Of Florida is located. Therefore we have two things, a lot of championships and a lot of student rentals.

Well, some time ago the City began enacting a law that requires homes in the city limits to obtain a Landlord permit if that home was to be occupied by anyone other than the property owner. This permit costs me about $200 per property in Gainesville.

Furthermore, the city has now enacted a 'point system' to keep landlords and student tenants in check. The rule is, if you accumulate 6 points on your landlord permit in the course of 3 years, you lose your ability to rent your property. Points can be assessed for violations like not having adequate mulch in your assigned parking spots, your tenants receiving a noise violation for a party and your grass being too high. So basically, I need to make sure my college student tenants do not throw a party twice a year or I'm done.

Does this seem a little unconstitutional to anyone but me? Besides the fact that I'm being forced to 'pay' for my property rights through something other than the normal property tax. The thing that really throws me for a loop is that the rules that I have to abide by regarding the point system are not rules that are forced upon any owner occupied properties. They do not have to submit parking plans, mulch their driveways, and if they receive a noise violation the only thing that happens is a fine.

Would this piss anyone else off? It almost feels as if I'm being profiled because I'm a landlord. My rental properties have ALWAYS looked the best in the neighborhood.

Could we impose these rules on other groups of people that supposedly always have run down properties?

I went before the city commission meeting and explained that I think it is unfair and completely unlawful to put laws such as this onto specific members of the community. I was given the run around and then promptly after I spoke a 'city manager' came up to me told me he would help 'take care of my points'. It was very hush hush and almost like he was bribing me not to talk. I felt like I was dealing with the Code Enforcement John Gotti.

Your thoughts?