City of Dubuque Takes Steps To Enforce Housing Standards

A newly adopted Dubuque ordinance would allow the city to abate rent for landlords found to be in noncompliance of city code. The ordinance, approved unanimously by City Council members, gives the city’s Housing and Community Development Department the ability to abate rent payments from being made to landlords found to be in noncompliance or alternatively collect rent payments in an escrow account, which would be used to remedy any property deficiencies that violate city code. The new ordinance gives the city the ability to enforce its housing standards against landlords who have remained noncompliant even after the issuance of municipal infractions and court orders.