Jim Thorpe officials are often the target of criticism, especially when it comes to things involving parking, traffic and tourism.

But they should be showered with praise for one of their latest endeavors, attempting to enact an ordinance that would ensure the safety of folks who pay rent.

At a recent workshop meeting, borough leaders discussed the possibility and could take action at their meeting this week.

The suggestion came from the borough’s planning commission, which forwarded a list of items that members believe should be included in inspections, such as the presence of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, stairs that are free of defects and safe to use, and exits that are free and clear of obstructions.

The governing group discussed the issue, debating who would conduct the inspections and who would pay for them.

Thought it’s still early, any resolution proposed would require rental properties to meet a property maintenance code after inspections by a qualified individual. It would also set penalties and fees which would be borne by the owner of the property.

And in these days of a tightening housing market and skyrocketing rents, it’s a good idea to make sure that any long-term rental property is at the very least up to the latest safety standards.

Many of us at some point — whether it be college or starting out on our own — have been renters, sometimes in places that had shortcomings like a leaky roof, bad windows, questionable electric wiring and maybe even a furnace that wheezed like an old miner struggling for breath.

Speaking of struggling, situations like that sometimes aren’t easy for even the best-intentioned landlords who juggle costs while trying to keep up with repairs.

That’s where these safety inspections prove their worth.

The inspections are designed to get a baseline of fairness, not as punishment for landlord or tenants.

They’re a method of making sure that tenants are getting essentials they deserve and the ones that every responsible landlord should already be providing.

For the most part, renters get those essentials. But without a consistent system a few bad apples can spoil everything. Rental inspections level the field and protect tenants from unsafe conditions at the same time protecting landlords from liability. They can also help municipalities track housing quality — something that helps emergency responders.

Will inspections drive up rent? Probably not. Rents are already high as the housing market has tightened. Done right, using things like reasonable fees and guidelines, inspections can actually work to stabilize and even improve neighborhoods. They reduce blight, push up property value and build trust between tenants and landlords.

If Jim Thorpe approves the plan, they’ll join several local municipalities with ordinances on long-term rentals.

Just up the road in Nesquehoning, council there updated their ordinance in hopes of making life easier on renters and their neighbors.

Back in April, officials set a $100 fee for a two-year rental permit. In addition, the update requires landlords to use inspectors from an approved list at their own expense and provide the borough with a report on the results.

It requires landlords of the borough’s 450 rental units to have sufficient fire insurance and mandates that the borough be provided with the names of all occupants in a rental property. Also, owners must provide occupants with contact information and phone numbers for emergency services.

To the south in Palmerton, borough officials are working on establishing and enforcing code for rental units.

It’s been a longstanding process, and council members hope to have something in place soon. Officials there explained the proposal came from an increased number of police calls involving rental units.

They saw the ordinance as a way to promote safe and sanitary conditions at rental properties and encourage landlords and tenants to assume responsibility for the condition of those locations.

In Coaldale, biennial property inspections began in mid-July. But in 2026, they’ll change to annual events to avoid any confusion.

And over in Summit Hill, rental property inspections revealed that only about half of the sites involved were able to pass.

In that community, landlords must obtain a license costing $105, then have the property inspected by the borough’s engineering firm for an additional $205. Those properties that don’t pass need to be reevaluated, costing yet another $205.

Cynics might say that’s an awful lot of money.

From a municipality’s standpoint, though, it might be a way of saying it cares about things like safety and fairness and making where they live a better place.

After all, whether people rent or own, everyone deserves a home that’s more than four walls and a roof, but a place that’s safe, dignified and livable.

ED SOCHA | tneditor@tnonline.com

Ed Socha is a retired newspaper editor with more than 40 years’ experience in community journalism.