Multi-Family Rental Housing Inspection Program

Adoption

To address complaints from residents about serious life, health and safety violations, and improve the quality of life in multi-family rental housing units, the Concord City Council unanimously adopted the Multiple Family Rental Dwelling Unit Inspections and Maintenance Code of the City of Concord on March 7, 2000. (Ordinance 00-2) (CMC 9820). See Municipal Code Title 15.50 Multi-Family Rental Dwelling Units

Purpose

The purpose of the program is to proactively identify blighted and deteriorated multi-family residential buildings and to ensure the rehabilitation or elimination of rental housing that does not meet minimum Building and Housing code standards and to ensure that rental housing conforms to the Code's exterior and site maintenance standards.

The Program applies to all residential rental buildings, including rooming houses, having (4) units or more on one parcel, or site, including their parking lots, driveways, landscaping, accessory structures, fences, walls swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas. Hotels, motels, bed and breakfast, and similar occupancies are specifically excluded from the Program.

Cycles

The program operates on a 2-year cycle. During each 2-year cycle a City building inspector inspects rental dwelling units and property common areas to determine whether such properties comply with Building and Housing codes. Properties that do not comply with the provisions of the Code will need to be altered or repaired to obtain the required level of compliance.

On November 29, 2016 City Council adopted program changes that went into effect January 1, 2017. Program changes included the following:

• Revised inspection cycles from 3 years to 2 years
• Added an additional Building Inspector and Administrative Clerk II.
• Moved the bed bug program from the Police Department to the Multi-Family Program.
• Adopted new fees
• Changed the program from a calendar year to fiscal year cycle.

reporting process

Always start by reporting the concern to your landlord or property manager to give them an opportunity to fix the problems. It is recommended that you report the problem to the landlord or property manager both by telephone and in writing. Be sure to specifically describe the problem in your request.

If no action is taken to correct the problem after a reasonable amount of time has passed, you may contact the Multi Family Inspection Program for assistance by clicking the buttons at the top of this page, or by telephone, email, or mail. The building inspector or administrative clerk that you speak with will take your information and, if necessary, open a multi-family inspection case and schedule an inspection of the apartment or exterior area in order to follow up on the alleged Code violations.

Reporting Information

Please be ready to provide the following information:

• Describe any action taken so far by the owner, manager, maintenance staff or contractor/repair technician to date to fix the problem.
• Describe how the problem was reported to the landlord or property manager (In person, by phone, and/or in writing). Provide copies of any written correspondence to date.
• Description of the needed repair or problem.
• The name and contact information of the person you reported the problem to.
• Property address, including unit number
• Telephone number and/or e-mail address
• Whether the problem was reported to the landlord or property manager
• Your name (you may remain anonymous; however, it may increase the time needed to address issues because permission to enter an apartment must be given to the city by the actual tenant or the landlord)

Printable Complaint Form

You can also fill out a complaint form (PDF) and submit by email, mail, fax, or in person.

As of July 1, 2017, bed bug cases will be handled by the MFIP and not by the Police Department's Code Enforcement Unit.

For more information on Bed Bug violations and on the City's strategy to handle bed bug cases, please visit the Bed Bug page.

In addition to the normal inspection process of the Program, the City also performs the following code enforcement services within the Program:

• Addresses complaints related to construction without permit and/or inspection
• Addresses complaints related to substandard building issues and violations of the Code's exterior and site maintenance standards
• Issues notices and orders related to building code violations
• Issues citations for violation of Program regulations and for non-compliance with notices and orders
• Initiates legal proceedings when necessary to abate hazards under the Program

Complaints

• Complaints related to nuisances, such as excessive noise, or violations of zoning or other aspects of the Development Code should be referred to the Police Department's Code Enforcement Unit.
• Complaints related to violations of the City's Construction Code for buildings other than apartments with 4 or more units, should be referred to Building Code Enforcement.