Inspections - Mandatory Rental Registration and Inspections: Policy Issue
Overview
Laws that mandate inspections for apartment housing exist in a variety forms in thousands of towns, cities and counties throughout the country. These programs are designed to ensure public health and safety, mitigate blight, and abate nuisance and overcrowding through the enforcement of building and health codes.
NAA Position
Rental housing inspection laws place an unnecessary financial hardship on owners, infringe on personal privacy rights, and single out apartment housing while excluding other property types. NAA encourages policymakers to consider other proven approaches that target chronic code violations, such as complaint-driven property inspection programs.
As an Owner or Operator, How Does this Affect My Business?
Mandatory inspection programs often place a financial burden on apartment owners and operators. Owners and operators are commonly required to register all units with the municipality and pay a per unit fee or tax, which funds the municipal inspection program. The administrative fees can range from $10 to $100 per unit.
In addition to registration fees, apartment owners and operators are subject to annual inspections, re-inspections and inspections at random. Inspection violations and penalties can increase operating cost for housing providers, which may ultimately affect housing affordability.
Contact Information
To learn more about this issue, please contact NAA's Government Affairs team.
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