North Bend demands access to rented homes

CINCINNATI - David Reaves has spent much of his life mastering several exotic varieties of kung fu.

But martial arts won't help him with what he sees as a home invasion headed his way.

"It feels like I'm not free anymore," he said.

He's talking about a new ordinance in North Bend that demands a inspector be given access to his apartment, as well as every rental unit in the village.

"If anybody and everybody has the right to just to come into your home and inspect it, that ain't right," he said. "That's bullcrap."

It's not just tenants like Reaves who are upset.

"It's an invasion of privacy," said Alan Montague, who owns two rental properties.

Montague says several landlords are fighting the law, which states they must make their units available, or face fines of $150 per day, per unit.

Montague got his directive in the mail.

"(It said) we had to fill out an application, and list all of our tenants, names and phone numbers, and we had to pay a $50 fee for each unit," he said.

North Bend's mayor Doug Sammons tells 9 On Your Side the ordinance was passed to address concerns of drugs and fire hazards.

He says safety is the main objective.

Sammons doesn't think there is any Constitutional problem with the law, saying that the neighboring villages of Cleves and Addyston do the same thing.

Margaret Knapp is with a group of landlords retaining an attorney to try and stop the new law.

"You don't walk in without an invitation," she said. "And I'm not inviting anybody."