{"MatterId":14812,"MatterGuid":"8FA5A034-7846-4FE2-9544-AD489749D56F","MatterLastModifiedUtc":"2026-06-25T19:56:10.553","MatterRowVersion":"AAAAAADN4NI=","MatterFile":"O-26-24","MatterName":null,"MatterTitle":"Rental Unit Habitability Enforcement Ordinance (Fiebelkorn, Rogers, Telles, Baca)","MatterTypeId":1,"MatterTypeName":"Ordinance","MatterStatusId":20,"MatterStatusName":"Enacted","MatterBodyId":9,"MatterBodyName":"Finance & Government Operations Committee","MatterIntroDate":"2026-04-20T00:00:00","MatterAgendaDate":null,"MatterPassedDate":"2026-06-01T00:00:00","MatterEnactmentDate":"2026-06-23T00:00:00","MatterEnactmentNumber":"O-2026-019","MatterRequester":null,"MatterNotes":null,"MatterVersion":"2","MatterCost":null,"MatterText1":null,"MatterText2":null,"MatterText3":null,"MatterText4":null,"MatterText5":null,"MatterDate1":"2026-07-03T00:00:00","MatterDate2":"2026-07-08T00:00:00","MatterEXText1":"CC 6/1/26 (mc)\r\nBrief Summary: This ordinance proposes to create a tiered system enforcement for any property owner or responsible party who violates certain life safety sections of the Uniform Housing Code:\r\n•\t14-3-2-1 – Room Dimensions\r\n•\t14-3-2-2 – Light and Ventilation\r\n•\t14-3-2-3 - Sanitation\r\n•\t14-3-3-1 – Structural Requirements\r\n•\t14-3-3-2 – Mechanical Requirements\r\n•\t14-3-3-3 - Exits\r\nNote: This bill does not apply to residential units that are owner-occupied, short-term rentals, hotels, or other transient lodging units. This bill applies only rental units occupied by tenants. \r\n\r\nAnalysis: This ordinance aims to encourage landlords to be responsive to tenant complaints and notifications when it comes to necessary and required repairs by creating a fast-acting and tier-based enforcement mechanism for certain Uniform Housing Code Violations. This enforcement system would apply only to the UHC sections related to habitability of a rental unit. Habitability is the legal and practical adequacy of a dwelling to safely support human life. Habitability violations are defined as those that endanger life, limb, health, property, safety, or public welfare of the occupants of a rental property.\r\n\r\nTier 1: If an issue is reported that fits the criteria in the UHC sections listed above, the owner or responsible party of that residential unit shall have 24 hours to correct the violation and if it is not done, or if a plan is not submitted to code enforcement detailing the process of correction within that 24 hours, the owner or responsible party will be fined $500.00. \r\n\r\nTier 2: Upon the third UHC violation, a property owner or responsible party would be automatically fined $500.00 for that violation, plus every violation thereafter, for a 12-month period. The owner or responsible party will also be required to fix the violation in the same timeline or parameters spelled out in Tier 1. \r\n\r\nRemediation Extensions: If the violation requires longer than 24 hours for abatement, this ordinance would allow the property owner or responsible party to submit a remediation plan to the Planning Department and additional time may be grated to address the violation.\r\n  \r\nRelocation: If remediation takes longer than 7 days, the responsible party shall pay relocation costs for residents of the rental property.  If the responsible party fails to relocate the tenant within 7 days, the City shall administer the relocation, and the relocation costs shall be paid by the responsible party within 30 days or the order of a lien may be placed on the property.\r\n\r\nReporting: This ordinance will also require a Habitability Violation Annual Report to be presented at the first City Council meeting in January. It will require (1) a list of all tier 1 and 2 habitability violations; (2) revenue collected through the requirements of this ordinance; and (3) a map showing all locations of the habitability violations. \r\n\r\nFiscal Impact:  There will likely be additional costs related to managing relocation, placing liens on properties, or any other litigation or enforcement actions that may occur through this ordinance.  The ordinance requires that all revenue collected pursuant to this ordinance shall be used for enforcement of this ordinance. \r\n\r\nKey Dates: This ordinance takes effect 5 days after publication. \r\n\r\nComments: In 2025, Uniform Housing Code violations made up 2,111 (6%) of the total 34,805 code enforcement violations. The assumption is that since 6% of the total violations were UHC violations, this will not alter the workflow of code enforcement to a great extent.  This bill is running parallel with a resolution that also directs Code Enforcement to prioritize UHC violations over any other violation, apart from violations that pose an imminent hazard issue. When asked, code enforcement already identified UHC violations as a priority 1, compared to priority 2 and 3 violations. \r\n\r\nFGO Update: This Ordinance was passed unanimously with no recommendation. \r\n\r\nFGO 5/11/26 (mc)\r\n\r\nBrief Summary: This ordinance proposes to create a tiered system enforcement for any property owner or responsible party who violates certain life safety sections of the Uniform Housing Code:\r\n•\t14-3-2-1 – Room Dimensions\r\n•\t14-3-2-2 – Light and Ventilation\r\n•\t14-3-2-3 - Sanitation\r\n•\t14-3-3-1 – Structural Requirements\r\n•\t14-3-3-2 – Mechanical Requirements\r\n•\t14-3-3-3 - Exits\r\n\r\nNote: This bill does not apply to residential units that are owner-occupied, short-term rentals, hotels, or other transient lodging units. This bill applies only to rental units occupied by tenants.\r\n \r\nAnalysis: This ordinance aims to encourage landlords to be responsive to tenant complaints and notifications when it comes to necessary and required repairs by creating a fast-acting and tier-based enforcement mechanism for certain Uniform Housing Code Violations. This enforcement system would apply only to the UHC sections related to habitability of a rental unit. Habitability is the legal and practical adequacy of a dwelling to safely support human life. Habitability violations are defined as those that endanger life, limb, health, property, safety, or public welfare of the occupants of a rental property.\r\n\r\nTier 1: If an issue is reported that fits the criteria in the UHC sections listed above, the owner or responsible party of that residential unit shall have 24 hours to correct the violation and if it is not done, or if a plan is not submitted to code enforcement detailing the process of correction within that 24 hours, the owner or responsible party will be fined $500.00. \r\n\r\nTier 2: Upon the third UHC violation, a property owner or responsible party would be automatically fined $500.00 for that violation, plus every violation thereafter, for a 12-month period. The owner or responsible party will also be required to fix the violation in the same timeline or parameters spelled out in Tier 1. \r\n\r\nRemediation Extensions: If the violation requires longer than 24 hours for abatement, this ordinance would allow the property owner or responsible party to submit a remediation plan to the Planning Department and additional time may be grated to address the violation.  \r\n\r\nRelocation: If remediation takes longer than 7 days, the responsible party shall pay relocation costs for residents of the rental property. If the responsible party fails to relocate the tenant within 7 days, the City shall administer the relocation, and the relocation costs shall be paid by the responsible party within 30 days or the order of a lien may be placed on the property.\r\n\r\nReporting: This ordinance will also require a Habitability Violation Annual Report to be presented at the first City Council meeting in January. It will require (1) a list of all tier 1 and 2 habitability violations; (2) revenue collected through the requirements of this ordinance; and (3) a map showing all locations of the habitability violations. \r\n\r\nFiscal Impact: There will likely be additional costs related to managing relocation, placing liens on properties, or any other litigation or enforcement actions that may occur through this ordinance. The ordinance requires that all revenue collected pursuant to this ordinance shall be used for enforcement of this ordinance. \r\n\r\nKey Dates: This ordinance takes effect 5 days after publication. \r\n\r\nComments: In 2025, Uniform Housing Code violations made up 2,111 (6%) of the total 34,805 code enforcement violations. The assumption is that since 6% of the total violations were UHC violations, this will not alter the workflow of code enforcement to a great extent. This bill is running parallel with a resolution that also directs Code Enforcement to prioritize UHC violations over any other violation, apart from violations that pose an imminent hazard issue. When asked, code enforcement already identified UHC violations as a priority 1, compared to priority 2 and 3 violations.","MatterEXText2":"Matthew Cox","MatterEXText3":null,"MatterEXText4":null,"MatterEXText5":null,"MatterEXText6":null,"MatterEXText7":null,"MatterEXText8":null,"MatterEXText9":null,"MatterEXText10":null,"MatterEXText11":null,"MatterEXDate1":null,"MatterEXDate2":null,"MatterEXDate3":null,"MatterEXDate4":null,"MatterEXDate5":null,"MatterEXDate6":null,"MatterEXDate7":null,"MatterEXDate8":null,"MatterEXDate9":null,"MatterEXDate10":null,"MatterAgiloftId":0,"MatterReference":"27","MatterRestrictViewViaWeb":false,"MatterReports":[]}