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Lakewood planners approve recommendation to tighten rental housing licensing and inspection rules
Summary
The Lakewood Planning Commission voted March 4 to recommend amendments to Lakewood Municipal Code Chapter 5.60 that clarify which rental housing types require licensing and inspection, remove certain housing types from exemptions, and shorten a property exemption period from 10 to 5 years; the measure will go to City Council on March 16.
The Lakewood Planning Commission voted on March 4, 2026, to approve a resolution recommending updates to Lakewood Municipal Code Chapter 5.60, the city's rental housing licensing and inspection regulations. The commission approved the recommendation by voice vote and forwarded the matter to the City Council for review beginning March 16.
Staff said the package contains 16 amendments intended to fix unintended exemptions in the existing code and to clarify which residential units must be licensed and inspected under the city's rental housing safety program. The changes remove accessory dwelling units, transitional housing and shelters from the set of exemptions so those unit types will be inspected, and reduce the number of years a property can qualify for an exemption from 10 years to five.
Commissioner Robert Estrada said he would vote in favor, noting prior briefings with housing program staff and the department's inspectors. "I have firsthand experience with his inspectors coming out ... we've seen how this program we really needed this program," Estrada said, praising staff for improving housing safety.
Staff told the commission the recommended resolution reflects corrections discussed at prior meetings and that Housing Program Manager Jeff Gum had answered commissioners' questions at an earlier session. The commission had no public testimony on the item; staff said no one testified either in person or online at the public hearing.
The commission approved the motion by voice vote. Staff said the council's first review of the amendments will begin on March 16. The record shows the commission's action was a recommendation to council; any legal change to the municipal code will require subsequent council consideration and formal adoption.
Next steps: the item will be transmitted to the City Council for review beginning March 16, and staff will provide the final packet materials and corrected attachments referenced during the meeting.
