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Council gives first reading to rental‑registration ordinance aimed at improving housing conditions
Summary
The council approved the first reading of a rental registration ordinance (new Chapter 5.58) that would require landlords to register units, provide ownership/contact information and submit to periodic or complaint‑based inspections; staff will return with proposed fees and second reading is scheduled for Sept. 1.
On July 7 the City of Desert Hot Springs held the first reading of a proposed rental‑registration ordinance intended to address widespread substandard rental housing. City staff said that more than half of local homes function as rentals and that the ordinance — which would add Chapter 5.58 to the municipal code — is designed to require landlord registration, updated ownership and emergency-contact information, and an annual registration permit with risk‑based inspections.
Supporters — including Councilmember Carter and parents and tenants who said they live near unsafe units — urged adoption as a way to hold absentee owners accountable and improve habitability. Some landlords and property managers, and speakers representing tenant‑privacy concerns, requested continuance or asked staff to ensure the program includes outreach and reasonable fee structures so small owners and tenants are not unduly harmed.
Staff said the ordinance allows for a renewal and self‑certification path for responsible owners and that no tenant-identifying information is collected in the registration application. Council approved the first reading unanimously and asked staff to return this summer with a proposed fee schedule; the second reading is scheduled for Sept. 1.
What happens next: staff will propose fees and administrative details and bring the ordinance back for a second reading.
