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Council adopts ordinance updating apartment registration, fees and inspections
Summary
On second reading the council adopted Ordinance 2025-02 amending Chapter 14.93 of the codified ordinances to create a registration and inspection fee structure for apartment buildings; council added a requirement that fees be dedicated to administering the program and approved a staggered inspection cycle.
The University Heights City Council adopted Ordinance 2025-02 on second reading Tuesday, updating Chapter 14.93 of the city code to require registration, permitting and inspections of apartment buildings.
Council said the ordinance was revised to comply with recent court guidance by directing that all registration and permit fees collected under the ordinance be spent on administering the program — specifically to cover personnel and equipment costs associated with registration, permitting, inspection and certification. Administration will track those costs and consider fee adjustments in subsequent years if fees exceed administrative expenses.
Council members discussed the ordinance at length, focusing on fee equity between single- and two-family rental homes and larger multi-unit apartment buildings. Sponsors said they designed a tiered fee structure so that very large future projects (cited example: an anticipated University Square/Bell Tower development) would pay proportionately, and they adopted a three-year inspection cycle for apartment units to manage housing staff workload.
Supporters said the ordinance is a first step to give the city legal standing to compel corrections when inspections identify unsafe or noncompliant conditions. Several council members said the ordinance could be revisited later with data from initial inspections and registration volumes.
A roll-call vote recorded all ayes and the ordinance passed.
