City outlines Green Rental Housing rollout and enforcement process as landlords and tenants raise concerns

Joe Lang, senior energy analyst and program manager for the Green Rental Housing program, briefed the Renters Commission on June 18 about program resources, enforcement processes and recent updates.

Lang said the ordinance took effect following council passage and enforcement began in January 2026. He described two compliance pathways: a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) report or a checklist pathway. "About 65% have been going through the checklist, and about 35% have been going through the HERS," Lang said. He added the city gives a 60-day grace period for properties to submit required materials and that, to date, no fines have been issued.

Lang highlighted a new Insulate Ann Arbor collaboration with DTE that stacks city and utility rebates to support insulation and air-sealing projects on multifamily properties; he said the program can provide up to $250,000 or 90% of project costs for income-qualified properties, or up to $75,000 or 50% of costs for market-rate properties (insulation/air sealing only).

Commissioners and attendees pressed staff on enforcement and communications. Multiple attendees described cases where a poster had been placed on a property door and said the notice resembled an "uninhabitable" condemnation notice and caused tenant anxiety. Jordan (participant who identified earlier in the meeting) said their building received a single email and then the poster; "We did not get 7 to 8 contacts, and our building got posted," Jordan said. Lang acknowledged early problems and said the department has automated biweekly notices via the Stream portal and improved outreach. He said the poster is a standard template in use across city housing ordinances and that staff will review the language and report back.

Landlords and commission members also described administrative burdens tied to the checklist: multiple photo uploads, repeated site visits, and difficulties coordinating third-party HERS assessments for older, small multifamily buildings. Lang said staff are exploring technical-assistance options (an RFP is under review) and potential ways to reduce documentation and site-entry burdens, such as using contracted assessments to relieve small landlords.

Lang noted enforcement is iterative: staff attempt outreach, post the informational door notice if they receive no response, and consider fines only after additional outreach. He said submissions are processed through the city's Stream portal and that Stream is not designed as a public search tool; the city plans to publish scores or summary documents so the public can see whether a property is certified without releasing potentially sensitive uploaded attachments.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify renewal cycles; Lang said HERS reports are effectively one-time because they measure building performance, while checklist items may require annual documentation and recertification; he committed to adding clearer wording to the program website.

Several commissioners urged the city to change the door poster template and to reduce inspection and documentation burdens for older housing stock and small landlords. Lang committed to follow up on signage language, outreach procedures and options to streamline compliance.