HOUSING INSPECTIONS
Senate Bill 635
Sponsor: Sen. Valde Garcia
House Committee: Intergovernmental, Urban and Regional Affairs
Senate Committee: Economic Development and Regulatory Reform
Complete to 12-8-08
A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 635 AS REPORTED BY HOUSE COMMITTEE
The bill would amend the Housing Law of Michigan to do the following:
o Allow a local unit to provide by ordinance for a maximum period of six years between inspections of multiple dwellings or rooming houses.
o Delete provisions requiring local inspections of multiple dwellings and rooming houses at least every two years or, as provided by ordinance, every three years if the most recent inspection found no violation.
o Allow a local unit and an enforcing agency to accept inspections conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or other government agencies, as a substitute for inspections required by a local enforcing agency.
o Allow inspections to be conducted on a compliance basis or a percentage basis, as well as an area basis, a complaint basis, or a recurring violation basis, as is currently required.
o Specify that an owner or property manager would not be liable for an inspection fee if the inspection were not performed and the enforcing agency were the direct cause of the failure to perform.
o Require an enforcing agency or a local unit to produce a report to a requesting party on the income and expenses of the inspection program for the preceding fiscal year; and
o Allow the agency to charge the requesting party a fee up to the actual reasonable cost of providing the information, if the agency did not have readily available access to it.
MCL 125.401 & 125.526
FISCAL IMPACT:
The bill does not appear to have a significant fiscal impact.
POSITIONS:
The Michigan Housing Council supports the bill. (12-3-08)
The Apartment Association of Michigan supports the bill. (12-3-08)
The Realtors support the bill. (12-3-08)
Grand Haven Manor supports the bill. (12-3-08)
The Detroit Metropolitan Apartment Association supports the bill. (12-3-08)
Property Management Association of Michigan supports the bill. (12-3-08)
Property Management Association of Mid-Michigan supports the bill. (12-3-08)
Property Management Association of West Michigan supports the bill. (12-3-08)
First Housing Corporation supports the bill. (12-3-08)
Capitol Commons Senior Apartments supports the bill. (12-3-08)
Rental Property Owners Association of Michigan supports the bill. (12-3-08)
Rental Property Owners Association of Kent County supports the bill. (12-3-08)
The Michigan Association of Home Builders supports the bill. (12-3-08)
The Washtenaw Area Apartment Association supports the bill. (12-3-08)
The Michigan Municipal League supports the bill. (12-3-08)
The Michigan Townships Association opposes the bill. (12-3-08)
Legislative Analyst: J. Hunault
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.