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Pontiac outlines plan to identify unregistered rental properties; court dockets and an escrow option are part of enforcement
Summary
City code enforcement described a proactive effort using county data and increased court docket days to identify and prosecute unregistered rental properties; the department urged residents to report suspected unregistered rentals and described an escrow option for tenants.
Code enforcement manager Jack McIntyre told council on March 4 that the city has prioritized inspection and enforcement for rental properties that are unregistered or have expired inspections and that the department is using a county data report and upgraded internal processes to identify properties for enforcement.
McIntyre said staff found a large backlog when the current code team reorganized in late 2022 and prioritized inspection of registered rental properties with expired inspections. Over the most recent 12-month period staff conducted 9,773 rental inspections, the manager said; these inspections generated 1,174 district-court appearances and produced 33 court-ordered abatements, a 200 percent increase year-over-year for abatements.
To accelerate enforcement against unregistered units, McIntyre said the department obtained a county “non-PRE” (non–principal-residence-exemption) report to flag properties that do not claim homestead status. Staff triaged the list and — including one weekend session — reviewed 1,600 properties in recent weeks to determine occupancy and registration status. In cases where staff identify occupied properties that appear to be rentals but are not registered, the city will issue a seven-day enforcement notice, perform a site visit and, if needed, issue tickets and move the matter to court. McIntyre said one owner recently was cited for 60 properties owned by the same company and that those would be brought before the judge as a group for correction orders.
McIntyre and Judge Cynthia Walker said the court has granted 100 additional docket days to expedite pre-hearing conferences tied to rental inspections and enforcement. Judge Walker also described the legal scope of magistrate duties in the district court (arraignments, search warrants, certain orders) and how those duties differ from judges.
The department reiterated an escrow process for tenants: if a rental is found to be unregistered or out of compliance, tenants may deposit rent into an escrow account at City Hall rather than to the landlord; after 30 days, if the landlord remains noncompliant, the money is refunded to the tenant. McIntyre gave a public contact number for reporting suspected unregistered rentals: (248) 758-2832.
Ending: McIntyre said staff expect to complete status checks on the county non-PRE list within 60 days and return to council with enforcement status and results.
