Lack of Boone County rental regulations fuels criminal activity

ABC 17 News is digging into Boone County rental regulations after a woman is arrested on suspicion of maintaining a nuisance property.

Boone County does not have any rental rules and regulations in place like Columbia, Missouri. Additionally, Columbia has various offices, such as the Office of Protective Inspection and the Office of Neighborhood Services, which help regulate rental properties in the city.

ABC 17’s Alyssa Toomey spoke to Detective Tom O’Sullivan from the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, who says the lack of rules and regulations has also had an effect on crime.

“We have quite a bit of criminal activity going on in rental properties and apartment complexes throughout Boone County… rental property in unincorporated Boone County isn’t regulated by any ordinances or rules or laws,” said O’Sullivan. “I don’t think anything short of getting legislative approval is going to rectify these problems.”

One resident in the Phenora Oaks neighborhood tells ABC 17 News he contacted the City of Columbia about the issues in his neighborhood and they referred him to the county. He says the county told him they only come by and inspect properties once a year.

As for why legislation hasn’t been passed? That boils down to politics.

“Each time a bill would come before the legislature to give Boone County the authority to create an enact rental rules and ordinances–it was killed–due in large measure to the lobbying of the Missouri Board of Realtors,” O’Sullivan said.

ABC 17 News has reached out to the Missouri Board of Realtors. We will update this story if we hear back.