RACINE - "Your privacy is in jeopardy" declared the writing on Brian Govednik's shirt as he walked Tuesday afternoon around City Hall.

He was one of about 30 landlords and renters who picketed regarding a recently proposed ordinance that would allow city officials to inspect rental properties.

Govednik, 30, is a Racine landlord and a member of the Southern Wisconsin Landlords Association. He lives in one of his rental properties and said he does not want people coming into his home or his renters' homes without his permission.

The picketers remained peaceful for the protest and let their signs relay their message to all who drove or walked by.

"Don't invade my privileges," one sign said. Another said: "Renters have rights too."

A few protesters also walked around carrying signs with the word "Nazis." But organizers opted to remove those signs after hearing criticism.

Greg Helding, the alderman who proposed the ordinance, was outside talking to the picketers before a meeting at City Hall Tuesday night.

"What we have is a concern that there are substandard conditions in a portion of our rental properties," Helding said after the protest. "It's not in the best interest of our city for the housing stock to be deteriorating."

He said he does not know why people are protesting an ordinance that is still in the early planning stage.

"What I and others decided is that we have a problem here," Helding said. "What has not been decided by anyone is how we are going to deal with it."

He also skeptically pointed out that a number of the protesters were wearing Kennedy Painting shirts and were employees of members of the SWLA.

"I told my employees about it and they choose to come down here," said Gary Kennedy, a member of the SWLA.

Ryan Bouse, 22, was walking by City Hall on Tuesday afternoon when he noticed the picketers.

He and his wife, Carol, just moved to the area and are living with friends until they can find a place of their own, Bouse said.

"It almost gave me a second thought about wanting to live here," Bouse said. "I'm not so comfortable being in a place that brutally violates civil rights."

Keith Deschler was also trying to get out a message about civil liberties.

The Racine resident is running for 62nd State Assembly as a Libertarian and was on hand with a copy of the Bill of Rights.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses … against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated," Deschler read.

He said by inspecting rental properties only, it would be singling out a portion of the population who can't afford to own their own homes.