Rental Inspection Program

Mayor Tom Barrett signed the city of Milwaukee’s Residential Rental Inspection Program ordinance into law on December 10, 2009.

The ordinance will take effect on January 1, 2010.

Earlier today by a vote of 9-5 the city of Milwaukee’s Residential Rental Certificate Program ordinance was passed by the Common Council. 

Voting in favor of the new ordinance were Aldermen Ashanti Hamilton (1st district), Nic Kovac (3rd district), Robert Bauman (4th district), Milele Coggs (6th district), Willie Wade (7th district), Robert Puente (9th district), Michael Murphy (10th district), Terry Witkowski (13 district), and Willie Hines, Jr. (15th district). 

Voting against the ordinance were Aldermen James Bohl, Jr. (5th district), Robert Donovan (8th district), Joe Dudzik (11th district), James Witkowiak (12th district), and Tony Zielinski (14th district).

Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. was not present and did not vote.

There was very little discussion on the proposed ordinance prior to its vote.  Alderman Kovac (the primary sponsor of the ordinance) spoke in favor of the revised ordinance and gave a summary of the revisions that were made.  Alderman Robert Donovan then spoke out against the ordinance and summarized some of the criticism that citizens had with the proposal as expressed at the public hearing earlier.  Alderman Murphy then spoke in favor of the ordinance and emphasized that it is a pilot program that will be reviewed each year.

If you are interested in viewing the video recording of the vote and other related information just click here.

This new ordinance will make it mandatory for all landlords who own rental property in two designated areas of the city (the UWM area on the city’s east side and the Lindsay Heights neighborhood on the city’s north side) to apply for a rental certificate in order to continue renting out their rental properties.  When applying for the certificate the owner will need to pay a $85 per unit fee and allow an inspector from the city’s Department of Neighborhood Services to inspect the interior of the unit.

The Department of Neighborhood Services also put together a Residential Rental Inspection Program Preinspection Checklist which it is assumed will be sent to the owners of rental property in the two designated areas prior to the inspection.  This checklist sets forth the specific types of violations that DNS will be looking for during its inspection. 

This ordinance will become effective January 1, 2010.

The Common Council did not vote on the passing of the city’s proposed Residential Rental Certificate Program earlier today (11/3/09) as was planned.  Instead the Comon Council voted 9-5 to hold the proposed ordinance for 1 cycle (1 month) for further review. 

The proposed ordinance, which would require all rental property owners in the UWM-area and Lindsay Heights neighborhood on the north side of Milwaukee to pay an $85 fee per unit fee and submit to an internal inspection of in order to be able to rent out their property, passed out of the ZND committee last week by a vote of 3-2.  The proposed ordinance was to be voted on by the Common Council earlier today. 

In response to the setback of having the proposed ordinance pass out of committee the AASEW, who represents approximately 680 landlords in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas, retained legal counsel to review the ordinance for procedural and drafting errors.  Errors were found and were communicated to the City Attorney.  The AASEW  wrote to the President of the Commom Council and the various council members and pointed out its many concerns with the ordinance as written.

Prior to a vote being taken as to whether or not the ordinance should be passed, a motion was made by Alderman Donovan to hold the ordinance  for one cycle (1 month) to further review any problems and concerns.  This motion passed by a vote of 9-5.  It is assumed that the ordinance will be revised and then referred back to the ZND committee for an additional public hearing.

Read Tom Daykin, of the Journal Sentinel, blog post about this change of events here.

A substitute ordinance establishing a residential rental certificate in a designated residential area.

This ordinance requires owners of rental properties in a designated residential area to apply for a residential rental certificate from the department of neighborhood services.  A certificate is required for each rental unit in order for it to be rented.  Following application an inspection is done by the department of neighborhood services to insure that each rental unit complies with the building maintenance and zoning codes.  The cost of inspection is $85 for each unit. (more…)