Homes in a subdivision of Negaunee are pictured. City officials will begin conducting inspections of residential rental units in accordance with property maintenance code on March 3. Property owners will be asked to request an inspection via an online portal or can contact David Nelson the city planning and zoning administrator at (906)475-7700, ext. 12 (Journal photo by Lisa Bowers)

NEGAUNEE — City officials in Negaunee will begin the process of inspecting each of the 350 rental units within its borders effective March 1 under the rental code adopted by the city council a year ago.

The code applies to single-family dwellings, multiple-family dwellings, bed-and-breakfast establishments and short-term rentals, the owners of which were given six months to register with the city.

Starting March 3, the city will conduct one inspection per day at 1 p.m., Negaunee Planning and Zoning Administrator David Nelson said during an interview Tuesday.

The inspections will be conducted once every three years and will cost the landlord $25 per rental unit. The result of a successful inspection would be a license to operate a rental within the city, which the landlord is required to display in a “conspicuous place” in the rental dwelling, Nelson said.

Any property owner found to be in violation of city code will be given notice within seven days and be required to file a proof of correction with the city, after which the property will be reinspected at no charge.

A property owner can dispute the findings of an inspection with the Zoning Board of Appeals for a fee of $250, Nelson said.

Nelson expects a web page linked to the city’s website exclusively dealing with rentals, the newly adopted property maintenance code, as well as an online portal where landlords and property owners can register for an inspection, will be available by the beginning of February.

To start the process, the property owner would request an inspection via the online portal. The tenant will also have to be present and give written consent for the inspection prior to it being conducted, he said.

“If they (landlords) don’t have access to internet, or have problems registering, they can call my office and I will help them with that,” Nelson said.

The property maintenance code and subsequent rental ordinance came about due to multiple complaints over a series of years, Negaunee City Manager Nate Heffron said.

“It’s time for us to address those (complaints),” he said. “We have already made a promise to address blight issues within the community… We need to make sure that the health and sanitary living facilities inside these homes are adequate and meet the standards of our ordinances.”

The 21-point inspection checklist includes interior and exterior aspects of rental properties.

For example, according to the form, no abandoned or inoperable vehicles or overgrown vegetation should be present on the premises with exterior walls in good condition with no peeling paint, holes or missing sections.

Water heaters, heaters, floor coverings, electrical outlets, breaker boxes and plumbing would be inspected inside the rental unit.

The inspection would also include fire extinguishers in addition to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that have been installed “in compliance with the code.”

Nelson said for the protection of all involved the inspector will wear a body camera for each of the 110 to 115 inspections he expects to conduct each year.

City officials will be sending information to each registered rental property owner detailing the inspection guidelines and the city’s processes in the coming days in an effort to make the inspections go as smoothly as possible, Heffron said.

“Our goal is not to go after somebody and make money off of them, as one can see we are (barely) covering the cost of having a staff member go out and inspect these properties at a minimal cost compared to other communities where the cost is much higher,” he said. “We are taking a strong stance on this, but we are willing to work with people to get to the end means. But the days of slumlords are over.”

Under the rental code nursing homes, hotels, motels, jails or other facilities or dwellings routinely inspected by other government entities are exempt from the inspection requirement, Nelson said.

Property owners can view the city’s property maintenance and rental codes at www.cityofnegaunee.com/residents/ordinances. Questions about the city’s rental code or inspections can be directed to Nelson at 906-475-7700 ext. 12.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.