CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland has issued more than 9,000 tickets and $1.7 million worth of fines using a new tool designed to penalize landlords and property owners who flout the city’s housing code.
The use of the $200 civil tickets started modestly, as city inspectors wrote dozens in January and February. However, citations ramped up to thousands being written each month this fall. More than half have been at rental properties that are not following the city’s rules.
Most of the tickets have gone unpaid so far, but officials warn that ignored tickets will be tacked onto violators’ property taxes. Cleveland has already sent more than 500 unpaid tickets to the county to be placed as liens…