Tehachapi council adopts rental registration and inspection ordinance, adds $40 annual tax for small landlords

The Tehachapi City Council on an unspecified date adopted an ordinance requiring owners of residential rental properties to register with the city, authorizing inspections of multifamily housing, adding a good‑faith crime prevention requirement for property owners and imposing a $40 annual business tax on one‑ to three‑unit rentals.

The ordinance was presented by city development services staff at the council meeting as the second reading. Staff summarized four main provisions: adoption of a written policy and procedures for inspecting substantive conditions in multifamily housing; a mandatory registration and contact‑person requirement for rental properties; a “good faith” clause obligating owners to make reasonable efforts to prevent crime and substandard conditions on their properties; and a flat $40 annual business tax for owners of one‑, two‑ and three‑unit residential rentals.

Staff advised the council that, because the ordinance is administrative in nature, it is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under the general rule. The presentation also noted that a consultant from RWG (identified in the meeting) was available by telephone for technical questions and that the police chief attended the meeting for questions about enforcement.

Councilmember Jones moved to adopt the ordinance at second reading; a councilmember seconded. The council approved the measure on a 5‑0 roll call. Minutes and the meeting record show the vote as unanimous in favor. The council did not adopt any amendments to the ordinance during the meeting.

The ordinance amends the Tehachapi Municipal Code to add registration and inspection regulations (presented in the meeting as a proposed new chapter) and to change business license tax provisions for small rental units. The text presented at the meeting specified the $40 flat annual tax for one‑ to three‑unit rentals; additional details about enforcement schedules, inspection frequency or penalty amounts were discussed as administrative procedures to be adopted under the ordinance but were not fully specified in the meeting record.

City staff said they would be available to answer questions from applicants and that materials, including a map and registration information, will be available at City Hall and posted online. The council did not set an implementation date during the session; staff will publish next steps and administrative procedures following adoption.

Votes at a glance: - Adoption of Residential Rental Property Registration and Inspection Ordinance — Passed 5‑0.

Clarifying details: the presentation identified four policy components (written inspection procedures for multifamily housing; mandatory registration with a contact person for each rental property; a good‑faith crime‑prevention clause; a $40 annual business tax for 1–3 unit rentals). The meeting record did not specify inspection frequency, initial registration deadline, or enforcement fine amounts; those items were described as administrative details to be set by staff under the ordinance.

The council meeting included public‑comment and council Q&A portions during which staff said printed materials would be available at City Hall and the city would post maps and permit application information online.