City warns renters after police find house party full of minors drinking alcohol

UTICA — The city of Utica is warning anyone who might be renting out homes in Utica after Utica police discovered that a teenager rented a home and threw a house party that was full of teens drinking illegally.

The incident took place in December when a 19-year-old man rented a home on Custer Avenue, near Hall Road and the M-53 Freeway. The teenager organized a Dec. 30 open-invitation celebration and advertised it on a social media site.

In the Dec. 30 incident, police were notified of what was happening when they received a call about a house party getting out of control.

When officers arrived, they found numerous minors outside, drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. According to police, they could not enter the house without permission.

They were required to call the homeowner, who did not reside in the house. When he arrived, police found out that the 19-year-old who had rented the property had broken his contract by opening the house to a party. As a result, police said they could enter the residence to investigate.

According to police, they encountered a crowd of teenagers inside. Officers allowed many of the teens to scatter and disperse on their own. As some of the youngsters ran through residents’ backyards to escape, several homeowners called 911 to report them.

Police said they made sure the renter understood that Utica doesn’t allow such house parties.

Utica City Attorney Linda McGrail said that, due to the incident, the city is working to make stricter rules than are already on the books regarding rental homes. She said there are many rules that don’t allow certain types of rental homes in the area too.

“Currently AirBnB rentals are not permitted in the City. Ordinances are under review to ensure the health, safety and welfare of both the residents and the City’s visitors,” she said via email.

City Councilman Brad O’Donnell said landlords should always be aware of what is happening at their properties and to make sure that renters know that house parties are not allowed. They should also make sure they know their local ordinances.

“The only thing worse than an absentee landlord is a negligent one. My understanding is that we already have laws on the books to handle this, but the mayor and council are researching if we should clarify our ordinances,” he said. 

He said that in order for a community to run smoothly, landlords and the city must be able to get along.

“The only way to have a strong town is if we all get along. But there’s no getting along with landlords who allow minors to break the law on their property,” O’Donnell said.