Council changes boarding house definition

MILTON — A Milton homeowner can now charge rent to a single resident, without the city considering the home a boarding house, following the council's Dec. 12 vote. Councilwoman Peggi Smith cast the single nay vote in the decision.

The ordinance revision adds the words "two or more"; now, the code of use defines a boarding house as "a dwelling used for the purpose of providing meals and/or lodging for a fee to two or more persons other than family members occupying such dwelling."

"The definition was changed to allow for one other," City Planner Randy Jorgenson said. "Under the prior definition there could be none."

If someone has more than one boarder they would be breaking code, but someone would have to make a complaint to the city first, according to Public Information Officer Pamela Holt.

"(Code Enforcement) is complaint driven," Holt said. The planning department would receive the complaint, she said, and would then work with the homeowner to bring him or her into compliance.

Cheryl Kursave owns her Milton home; the three people living with her pay rent. Someone filed a complaint and she received a notice of violation in August.

Now, just one of those renters legally can pay her to live there.

"I made $1,305 a month and now I’ll only make $480 a month," she said. "We’re going off a cliff."

Kursave was not at the Tuesday meeting.

"I just want to be able to pay my bills," she said. "I don’t know what I’ll do … It’s in the Lord’s hands now," she said.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Council changes boarding house definition