HOUSING INSPECTIONS S.B. 653 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 653 (Substitute S-2 as reported) Sponsor: Senator Dave Honigman Committee: Local, Urban and State Affairs
The bill would amend the Housing Law to delete current provisions requiring an enforcing agency to inspect at least biennually multiple dwellings and rooming houses regulated by the Law; allowing an enforcing agency to inspect all other regulated dwellings at reasonable intervals; and allowing inspections to be conducted on an area basis, a complaint basis, or a recurrent violation basis. Instead, the bill would permit an enforcing agency to inspect a regulated dwelling after the agency had received a complaint regarding a condition of the dwelling that presented a health or safety risk to the occupants. The bill would require an inspector or team of inspectors to request permission to enter at reasonable hours all dwellings regulated by the Law to do an inspection; currently, an inspector or team may request permission. Except in an emergency, an inspection could not be carried out unless the dwelling’s occupant had expressly consented to entry for an inspection or unless a warrant based on probable cause had been attained. The Law also allows an enforcing agency to charge a reasonable fee for the inspections; the bill would prohibit the fee from exceeding the actual costs. A city, village, or township could not enact or enforce a dwelling inspection regulation that imposed greater or more rigorous requirements than set forth under the Law.
MCL 125.526 Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government. The fiscal impact on local governments would vary between municipalities. The local fiscal impact would depend on the number of written complaints received, the cost of the inspections, the number of owners charged an inspection fee, and the degree to which the inspection fee offset the cost of the inspection.
Municipalities that have been inspecting multiple dwellings and rooming houses, and charging for the inspection an amount over the actual cost of the inspection, would lose this revenue source.
Date Completed: 11-7-95 Fiscal Analyst: R. Ross
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.