DETROIT – Many landlords are working to gather as much information as possible as Detroit prepares to enforce a new rental property compliance ordinance.
City council members voted over the summer to approve new rules to streamline and simplify the rental inspection process.
City leaders recognize that convincing some landlords to bring their properties into compliance has been challenging in the past.
“You have a lot of slum lords,” said Sade’ Harper, a Detroit-based real estate investor, realtor, and property manager.
Some neighbors complaining about problematic rental properties said they support Detroit’s plans to implement and enforce a new citywide landlord compliance ordinance.
“A lot of times I’m going into these properties to take over the management, and you have tenants living in these houses that have leaking roofs, the ceilings are falling,” Harper explained. “So, I really think this is a great idea for them to do.”
On Thursday, Dec. 5, about 200 landlords and property managers attended Detroit’s Landlord Compliance and Resource Fair at the Northwest Activity Center.
They spent time getting details about the new rules which city staff said would help streamline the rental inspection process.
“It definitely needs improvement,” said Kamal Cheeks, a real estate broker and property manager. “Before, it was kind of challenging.”
There are about 82,000 registered rental properties across the city of Detroit, according to city leaders. However, staff said only 10 percent of those rentals are in compliance.
“Property owners said that we needed a streamlined inspection,” said Arthur Rushin, Chief Enforcement Officer with Detroit Building and Safety Engineering and Environmental Department. “So, what we have done is we now are going to have a 15-point inspection that will deal with all of the safety issues that pertain to rental property.”
Reducing the inspection requirements from more than 30 items to 15 items is one strategy.
The new ordinance will also result in strict penalties and increased fines for landlords who fail to fix up their properties.
However, the current process has left some property owners concerned.
“I just don’t even have all the words to describe it,” said Latisha Edwards as she arrived to the Landlord Compliance and Resource Fair. “I think I’m in compliance, but I’m confused.”
Detroit is conducting public presentations and fairs to ensure landlords get questions answered.
Workers say they want to ensure property owners are engaged before the new rules kick in and help get some landlords on track.
Tanda Owners is among the landlords supporting the new ordinance. She said her strategy is to view rental properties as less of a business and more of a partnership with her tenants.
“My approach to renting out properties is to develop a relationship between the tenants and myself,” Owens said. “So, we can come to a common ground.”
City staff said the new rental compliance ordinance is scheduled to go into effect in Spring 2025.