Breakout Session: Rental Registration Program

BREAKOUT SESSION
RENTAL REGISTRATION:
A CLOSER LOOK
 Melissa Govea
City of Coppell
CEAT President

RENTAL REGISTRATION PROGRAM
WHAT IS RENTAL REGISTRATION?
• Rental registration is an efficient tool for identifying and
remedying dangerous code violations in rental properties.
Rental registration programs require single-family and/or multi-
family rental properties to register with the City by submitting a
simple form with basic information about the property.
• Allows code officers the authority to inspect the exterior and
interior of rental properties.
ImportanceImportance
OrdinanceOrdinance
DevelopmentDevelopment
RegistrationRegistration
ProcessProcess
InspectionInspection
ChecklistsChecklists
Q & AQ & A

IMPORTANCE
Single-Family Rental Properties
 Ensures tenants and landlords are involved in maintaining single
family homes in a safe and sanitary condition.
 Effective way to ensure a sustainable community and safe housing
is available in all of the neighborhoods.
 Improve overall condition of rental properties thus helping retain
existing property values within the affected neighborhoods.
 Ensures rental properties meet minimum requirements set forth in
the 2012 IPMC.

IMPORTANCE
Multi-Family Rental Properties
 Maximize the safety of the occupants.
 Ensures that fire hazards, structural defects, and other violations
are eliminated.
 Maintains and enhances the apartment communities in the City.
 Ensures rental properties meet minimum requirements set forth in
the 2012 IPMC.

IMPORTANCE
Single-Family Housing – City of Coppell
 Total Housing Units – 14,726
 Owner Occupied (70.2%) – 10,331
 Renter Occupied (26.2%) – 3,861*
 Vacancy (3.6%) – 534
*Includes apartment units.

IMPORTANCE
Multi-Family Housing – City of Coppell
 Number of Apartment Facilities - 9
 Number of Apartment Units – 2,831

IMPORTANCE
• Tenants lack the expertise to identify and report many
types of dangerous code violations.
• Many tenants are afraid to report code violations for
fear of retaliation.
• Rental registration programs allow officers to identify
violations before they become hazardous and too
expensive to repair.
• Rental registration programs are usually low-cost and
cost-effective programs.
• The programs provide emergency contact information.

ORDINANCE DEVELOPMENT

Who needs building codes or ordinances?
 We all do! We rely on the safety of structures that surround us in our
everyday living.
How reliable are they?
 Codes provide safeguards. Although no code can eliminate all risks,
reducing risks to an acceptable level helps.
What is a building code or ordinance?
 Building Code - Practically, it is the government’s official statement on
building safety. Technically, it is a compilation of minimum safety
standards which embraces all aspects of building construction-fire,
structural, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical.
 Ordinance – A law, statute, or regulation enacted by a Municipal
Corporation.

• Purpose. This section sets forth the scope and intent of the
ordinance as it applies to rental registration. This section
establishes the broad purpose of the ordinance/code – to protect
the public health, safety and welfare.
• City of Coppell Purpose.
The City of Coppell recognizes a need for an organized inspection program of
residential rental units within the city in order to upgrade rental units to meet
city and state life safety, health, fire and zoning codes within the city and to
provide a more efficient system for compelling both absentee and local
landlords to correct violations and to maintain, in proper condition, rental
property within the city. The city recognizes that the most efficient system to
provide rental inspections is the creation of a program requiring the
registration of all residential rental units within the city so that orderly
inspection schedules can be made by city officials.

• Purpose/General.
• Registration
Requirements.
• Manner of
Registering.
• Transfer of Property.
• Inspection Required.
• Frequency of
Inspection.
• Inspection of Multi-
Family.
• Inspection of
Townhome(s).
• Rental Registration
Inspection Required.
• Inspection Procedure.
• Request for Inspection.
• Exemptions.
• Other Actions,
Prosecution, Court Cases.
• Failure to Register.

REGISTRATION PROCESS
• First step is to identify all the single family rental
homes in your city.
• Next is notifying the owners and tenants of the new
program and the requirements to register the
properties with the city.
• Program Requirements.
 Fill out registration forms provided by the city.
 Annual deadline to register the property.
 Inspections required.
 Frequency of inspections for single-family and multi-family.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

INSPECTION CHECKLISTS

INSPECTION CHECKLIST
Exterior – Main Structure
 Locks on doors.
 Doors and windows are weather-tight.
 Exits clear and unobstructed.
 Windows operable in sleeping rooms.
 Street numbers visible from street and alley.
 Exterior free from holes or gaps.
 Chimney (if any) in good condition and free of obvious disrepair.
 Handrails securely attached.
 Guardrails required if deck or platform is over 30 inches above
grade.

Exterior – Sanitation
 Property free of junk vehicles and/or equipment.
 Property free of litter, debris and trash.
 Swimming pool maintained in clean and sanitary condition and in
good repair.
 Fences well maintained.
 Grass and weeds are less than 12 inches.
 Waste receptacles are not overflowing and out of the right-of-way.
 Accessory structure(s) in good repair.

Interior
 Smoke detectors provided in all bedrooms and area outside
bedrooms.
 Electrical fixtures free from obvious disrepair.
 Electrical outlets and switch plate covers provided.
 Plumbing fixtures free from obvious disrepair.
 Water heater provided.

TENANTS FORCED OUT OF
APARTMENTS

Q & A
• Is it necessary?
• Why is it important?
Questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION
Thank you!
Melissa Govea
Code Compliance Officer
City of Coppell
CEAT President
mgovea@coppelltx.gov

Breakout Session: Rental Registration Program

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