SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For the first time in St. Joseph County, an individual township has created and will enforce its own housing inspection program.

According to Critchlow, beginning in May, residents applying for Shelter Assistance through the township will be subject to a house inspection to ensure habitability and standards for safety.

Inspections will occur within 24-48 hours of application, in order to ensure no disruption in housing for residents.

"Should the household fail inspection, landlords will be required to make necessary repairs within a specified time window," Critchlow said.

"The Township Property Inspector will work with the landlord to make those determinations and follow up as appropriate."

Township officials say landlords who fail to make the required repairs will be reported to Code Enforcement of the City of South Bend Code or St Joseph County as applicable for additional inspections and fines.

"This is not going to be the magic bullet to solve our housing problems, but it is a step in the right direction to ensure safety for residents and accountability for landlords. Those paying rent in our community should have the right to reasonably safe and healthy housing conditions," said Critchlow.

"Situations such as those that occurred in the Cedar Glen Apartment Complex last year cannot be allowed to continue. The goal of the Township Property Inspection Program is to prevent these situations from escalating and remove the fear of retaliation residents have from landlords when conditions are found to be substandard."