Elkhart building department: new rental-inspection reports accepted; inspections to become mandatory within three years

Tim from Elkhart's building and code enforcement presented month-end reports and a new rental-inspection program report on Nov. 25; the board accepted both reports and placed them on file.

Tim said the rental-inspection program launched following a city council recall and that the department has been performing open-enrollment inspections with an initial 50% incentive for landlords during the program's first six months. He told the board the program has already identified life-safety hazards: "We feel that we've saved 4 families' lives from having carbon monoxide where we had to get NIPSCO involved to shut the gas off, and evacuate the building until it got fixed." He said the program will become mandatory in time and that properties that pass inspection will be good for three years.

Board members asked several clarifying questions about scope, timing and whether HUD-inspected properties are included; Tim said HUD properties maintain their own inspections, which the city will recognize when appropriate. The board moved to accept the month-end reports and the rental-inspection program report for August, September and October 2025, and the motion carried by voice vote.