Chapter 8.40
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY REGISTRATION
Sections:
8.40.030 Residential rental unit registration required.
8.40.040 Residential rental unit registration – Exemptions.
8.40.050 Registration renewal and updates.
8.40.060 Inspection requirements.
8.40.070 Authorized inspectors.
8.40.010 Purpose.
The Grandview city council finds that rental housing is a valuable community asset, providing homes for all income levels. The city recognizes that quality rental housing is a partnership between owners, tenants, and the city. The city finds that there are a growing number of homes in Grandview which are below the minimum building standards and appear to violate RCW 59.18.060. As a result, to ensure the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens and the maintenance of quality rental housing for Grandview citizens, the city council is establishing a residential rental registration program to prevent and correct conditions in residential rental units that adversely affect or are likely to adversely affect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. It is the purpose of this chapter to assure that rental housing within the city is actively operated and maintained in compliance with RCW 59.18.060 and other applicable laws within the city. This program is also intended to provide for a means of obtaining public safety and emergency contact information on existing and new residential rental properties in the city. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.020 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings given in this section:
A. “Authorized representative” means a person identified in writing by an owner as authorized to manage and supervise one or more residential rental units owned by a person. An owner shall promptly notify the city in writing of any change in the owner’s authorized representative. For purposes of accepting registration applications and for enforcement of this chapter, the city shall rely on the most current written identification of an authorized representative in the city’s files.
B. “City” means the city of Grandview.
C. “Person” includes the singular and the plural and also means and includes any person, firm, corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company, individual receiver, assignee, trustee, trust, estate, joint venture, company, or any group of individuals acting as a unit, whether mutual, cooperative, fraternal, nonprofit, or otherwise. For purposes of this chapter, “person” shall include any tenant or the authorized representative identified in writing by an owner.
D. “Primary tenant” means the person responsible to carry out the tenant duties that are defined in Chapter 59.18 RCW.
E. “Owner” means the legal owner of the real property on which any residential rental unit is located.
F. “Residential rental unit” means any structure or part of a structure which is used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one or more persons maintaining a common household, where said person or persons are not the owner, and for which rent is charged on behalf of the owner, including but not limited to single-family residences, a room, rooming units, units of multiplexes, condominiums, apartment buildings, mobile homes, mobile home spaces where the occupant owns the structure and rents the land, and recreational vehicle spaces.
G. “Unlawful dwelling” means a structure that has been constructed or converted to a dwelling unit in violation of zoning ordinances or the building code. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.030 Residential rental unit registration required.
A. Effective September 15, 2014, no person shall make available for rent, lease, or let, to the public any residential rental unit as defined in GMC 8.40.020 without first registering the residential rental unit with the Grandview building department as required by this title, unless exempted herein. An owner of multiple residential rental units shall separately register each residential rental unit by its assigned street address. All existing residential rental units must be registered before January 1, 2015.
B. Residential rental unit registrations are nontransferable. When any residential rental unit changes ownership, the new owner shall register with the city within 30 days of the closing date of the sale or transfer of the real property on which the residential rental unit is located.
C. The owner or an authorized representative shall complete the registration form provided by the Grandview building department with the following information:
1. Street address of residential rental unit;
2. Name, date of birth, address, telephone and email contact information for the owner;
3. Where applicable, the name, date of birth (for individuals), address, telephone and email contact information for the owner’s authorized representative;
4. A minimum of one emergency contact name and 24-hour contact information for purposes of emergency notifications relating to the use or occupancy of the residential rental unit;
5. The maximum anticipated number of occupants of each residential rental unit;
6. For multi-building apartment complexes, the owner or authorized representative shall identify clearly each building in the complex and shall provide the city with the identifying numbers or letters for each individual apartment within each building. The identifying numbers or letters for each building shall also be posted on the exterior of each building in letters or numbers at least four inches high and in a color contrasting with the building color;
7. Name, date of birth, telephone and email contact information for the tenant that is responsible to carry out the tenant duties as specified in Chapter 59.18 RCW;
8. Legal names of all occupants in the dwelling above the age of 12. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.040 Residential rental unit registration – Exemptions.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to those uses set forth in RCW 59.18.040. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.050 Registration renewal and updates.
If any of the information required for registration changes during the term of a tenancy, the owner or authorized representative shall provide the city with updated information within 15 days. Failure to update registration information shall be deemed a violation of this chapter. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.060 Inspection requirements.
A. If the city reasonably believes a residential rental unit regulated by this chapter may be in violation of Chapter 59.18 RCW, Chapter 8.24 GMC, or the International Property Maintenance Code, the city may require a certificate of inspection pursuant to RCW 59.18.125.
B. Nothing herein shall preclude such additional inspections as may be conducted pursuant to the tenant remedy provided by Chapter 59.18 RCW, or issued pursuant to a warrant. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.070 Authorized inspectors.
An inspection undertaken pursuant to GMC 8.40.060(A) shall be conducted by one of the following:
A. A city of Grandview code enforcement officer;
B. Inspectors certified by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for grant-required inspections;
C. Certified private inspectors approved by the city upon evidence of completion of formal training including the passing of an examination administered by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), the American Association of Code Enforcement (AACE) or other comparable professional association as approved by the public works director;
D. A structural engineer licensed by the state of Washington;
E. An architect licensed by the state of Washington.
All inspection certifications shall be submitted on forms provided by the city or approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.080 Violations.
This chapter shall be enforceable pursuant to Chapter 15.72 GMC. Failure to comply with any requirement of this chapter shall result in a civil infraction and the imposition of a monetary penalty not to exceed $100.00 per day. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).
8.40.090 Severability.
If any provisions of this chapter are declared unconstitutional, or the applicability thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the constitutionality of the remainder of this chapter and the applicability thereof to persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby. (Ord. 2014-14 § 1).