On Dec. 14, the Shreveport City Council may enact a Rental Dwelling Unit Registration Program.
This ordinance would become part of the Shreveport Unified Development Code (UDC), which is currently administered by the Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC).
The primary aim of the proposed UDC amendments is to help identify problem properties and absentee landlords/property owners.
The program will be used to assist code enforcement efforts by the MPC to improve the quality of life for tenants and neighbors of rental dwellings within the city limits.
The registration ordinance states that no person shall be allowed to occupy, rent, sub rent, lease, sublease, let or sublet to another person for occupancy any rental dwelling unit until a certificate of registration is obtained.
The registration certificate will identify all rental dwelling units on the property and shall be the only registration required for the rental dwelling units on that property.
There are numerous exemptions to the proposed ordinance: hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, boardinghouses, short-term rentals, RV parks or other similar accommodations.
Rental dwelling units in state or federal-licensed hospitals, hospices, community care and intermediate-care facilities and nursing homes are also exempt.
Other exemptions include rental dwelling units owned, operated or managed by a government entity or housing authority and individual dwelling units that are owner-occupied.
Registrations are valid for one-year periods from Jan. 1- Dec. 31 for each calendar year , or any part thereof. Registration must be renewed on or before Dec. 31 of each year.
The ordinance mandates the following rental standards:
1. All rental units have operable fire and smoke detection system and alarm;
2. All plumbing fixtures shall be properly connected to the public sewer system or approved private system;
3. Every rental dwelling shall have bathtub or shower, lavatory, flush-type water closet and kitchen sink to be maintained in sanitary and good working condition;
4. All kitchen sinks, lavatories, bathtubs and showers shall have hot and cold running water:
5. Water heating facilities shall be properly installed and maintained with capacity for adequate water to be drawn at every required facility at minimum temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit;
6. Each unit shall have heating facilities to maintain 68 degrees Fahrenheit temperature in all habitable areas, and the cooking appliances cannot be used to maintain required temperature;
7. Each unit shall have a properly installed and maintained electrical system;
8. All mechanical appliances, fireplaces, chimneys, fuel-burning appliances and cooking appliances shall be properly installed and maintained;
9. Roofs, windows and exterior doors must be adequate to prevent dampness or deterioration in the walls and interior portions of the rental unit, with no evidence of mold. Significant cracking, decay or surface conditions must be corrected and holes in interior walls and floors sealed;
10. The unit/structure should be maintained in a sound structural capacity;
11. No means of exit or escape in the event of fire or other emergency shall be blocked or structurally unsafe;
12. The unit and exterior property is to be free from infestation of insects, rodents or other pests that would be detrimental to health, safety, or general welfare of the occupants.
New rental dwelling units constructed after the effective date of the UDC amendments will automatically apply for a registration as part of their final inspection by the city's chief building official.
Enforcement of the registration requirement will depend primarily on complaints by tenants. Registration certificates are to be posted within each dwelling unit, in the business office or in a common area. In the alternative, the certificate is to be produced upon request of a tenant, a prospective tenant or upon demand by the MPC Zoning Administrator.
Tenants/aggrieved parties may report potential violations of the rental code by contacting the MPC and requesting an inspection of the unit to ensure compliance with the rental code standards. Upon receipt of complaint, the MPC Zoning Administrator is to make an inspection.
The MPC office will maintain a publicly accessible database with the address of registered dwelling units, date of any complaints, post-inspection results for compliance and any violations cited at the property.
Violations of the rental code are subject to fines as set forth in the UDC. Appeal provisions for citations are included in the ordinance.
Suggested fees are $35 for initial registration per unit, $30 registration renewal per unit, $70 fee for failure to register along with $75 fine and $100 fee for second inspection to ensure compliance after initial citation.