Pittsburgh City Council approves requiring registration, inspections of rental units

A proposal to create a rental registration and inspection schedule for Pittsburgh’s rental units gained final approval by City Council on Monday, advancing a measure that had been stopped by a judge when officials previously tried to implement it.

The proposal, approved by all six council members present Monday, would allow city officials to identify the city’s rental properties and subject them to inspections. Council members said the measure would ensure the city’s renters are living in safe conditions.

“We have been fighting this fight for 14 years,” said Councilman Bruce Kraus, who said the bill is “imperative” to his district, which is home to many rental units.

City Council, with support from Mayor Bill Peduto’s office, has tried to enact such a measure before, but it was shot down in a lawsuit challenging associated fees.

A judge ruled that the city could not enforce the ordinance until it implemented a “fee that is fair, reasonable and not grossly disproportionate to the cost of maintaining the program.”

The fee structure that was previously blocked in court included a rental registration permit fee of $65 a unit for up to 100 housing units, $55 a unit for 11 to 100 units and $45 a unit for more than 100 units.

Now, the updated legislation has lowered the costs. It includes a $16 application fee, a $5.50 charge for an inspector to travel to the property and a $14 charge per unit.

Units that pass inspection would get a discount, with the ability to renew their rental registration permit at half price. They would need to have units reinspected once every five years.

Those that fail inspection would be inspected at the discretion of the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections until they do pass.

Affordable housing properties will be exempt from the annual rental registration permit fee.

Kraus said he is confident the new measure will hold up in court. Other municipalities — including some in Allegheny County — have successfully enacted similar programs, Councilwoman Deb Gross said.

“We believe the bill is constructed in such a way that it would withstand any scrutiny in courts,” Kraus said.

Kraus said he had discussed those concerns with Peduto’s Chief of Staff Dan Gilman and credited Peduto for helping council continue to fight for the measure despite obstacles.

“It really was this administration that kept this alive through court fight and court fight and court fight,” he said.

The measure could also be adapted in the future to include incentives for renting affordable housing units, Councilman Ricky Burgess said.