October 13, 2016 - 5:43 AM
PORTLAND, Maine - Officials in Portland, Maine, say the city mistakenly sent threatening violations notices to 2,000 homes that were intended for landlords who failed to register their properties.
City Manager Jon Jennings tells The Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/2dTuiCg ) the incident was a "monumental mix-up." Officials say they're issuing an apology letter to the residents who received the notices.
The Sept. 30 notices were supposed to be sent to about 700 landlords who didn't register their rental properties by Jan. 1, as required by the city's new housing safety laws. The letters included a threat of prosecution and heavy fines if landlords don't comply.
Jennings says staff accidentally added a database with 2,000 names to the distribution list for violators. The housing safety office sent notices to about 2,700 addresses.
___
Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://www.pressherald.com
News from © The Associated Press, 2016