Erie councilors review landlord-rental ordinance changes, set implementation for 2027

Councilors at an Erie caucus meeting reviewed proposed amendments to the city’s landlord and rental code that would consolidate existing definitions, change inspection schedules and raise fees, with officials saying the practical effect will not be retroactive and the changes are expected to start in 2027.

City staff and the solicitor outlined the package, noting the proposed Article 330 revisions gather definitions previously scattered across local ordinances — many drawn from Article 354, the Tenant Bill of Rights — into one place so the ordinance reads more consistently. The solicitor said the definitions are not new: “These are not new definitions. These are all definitions that have been taken from other ordinances and put them all in one place.”

The draft shortens the interval for positive rental inspections from every four years to every two years for properties that pass inspection, staff said, and raises the inspection fee from $40 to $55 with an increased late fee. Housing-authority-owned public housing would be exempt from inspection under the proposal; Section 8–subsidized units would remain subject to inspection. City staff added that the building code official will receive copies of housing-authority inspection reports and may schedule a city inspection if the report does not meet local standards.

The solicitor also described a procedural change to enforcement notices, saying the code would allow first-class mail for stop-work and related orders when certified or personal service is unsuccessful, so the city can document attempts to notify nonresponsive property owners. “If that first-class mail is not returned, that lets us know or at least tell the judge later: ‘Hey, we tried all these different methods,’” the solicitor said. Officials said the change targets repeat noncompliance, not standard cases.

Council members emphasized outreach and education. Dr. Titus urged clarity to counter public misinformation and called for an awareness campaign for landlords and tenants; city staff said they plan social-media posts, website content and handouts. The administration added it has met with the apartment association to discuss the inspection checklist and will continue meetings with stakeholders.

Mayor Devlin and staff stressed the ordinance does not address the city’s contract arrangements with BIU; one councilor said that confusion had circulated and the mayor and solicitor clarified: “This ordinance does not address the change with BIU. You did — there’s nothing in there about that.” City leaders said fee increases and the inspection schedule changes would be implemented prospectively (not retroactively) with practical start dates in 2027.

The discussion closed with council agreeing to continued stakeholder outreach and additional agenda items to keep the community informed as the ordinance moves through first and final readings.