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Council advances sweeping rental inspection and property-maintenance updates on first reading
Summary
On first reading council advanced a broad update to property-maintenance and rental inspection rules that would require more robust landlord registration, annual certificates for larger buildings, lead-clearance steps and stronger enforcement tools including temporary-certificate limits and potential revocation for repeat bad actors.
Council members advanced on first reading a long and detailed update to Chapter 18 of the city code addressing inspections, dangerous-building criteria, landlord registration, temporary certificates, and new lead-clearance requirements. Staff said the changes are intended to close loopholes, increase landlord accountability, and provide clearer enforcement tools following a series of building problems and litigation in recent years.
Staff and council discussed compliance timelines, enforcement fairness, and expected administrative needs. As presented, the ordinance would shorten some certificate periods to one year for multiunit properties, allow revocation of a management company's ability to operate for repeated violations, and require lead inspection/clearance steps for certain units. The building official told council the proposed temporary certificate period would be limited and temporary certificates would no longer be routinely issued beyond short windows. Councilmembers sought additional outreach to smaller landlords and said staff will return with refinements; staff said they budgeted an additional inspector to support enforcement.
