Pittsburgh's rental registration program to begin in May

Pittsburgh’s Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections said Tuesday that the city’s rental registration program will go into effect May 29.

The program, approved by City Council in November, will allow city officials to inspect rental properties in an attempt to ensure they meet “the minimum standards for safe living conditions.”

The city tried to enact a similar measure before, but it was shot down in a lawsuit challenging associated fees. The new program has a lower fee structure.

Property owners will have to pay registration fees, and inspections on rental units will occur at least once every five years. While the program is scheduled to get underway in late May, landlords will have until the end of the year to register, city officials said.

“Pittsburgh is a majority renter city, and that is why programs like this are essential,” Mayor Ed Gainey said. “Rental registration is the first step to ensuring that all of our residents have access to housing that is healthy and safe.”

Fees associated with the program include a $16 application fee, a $5.50 fee per parcel and a $14 fee per unit to cover travel expenses and inspection costs. Units not subject to inspection in a given year will pay only the application fee until they are due for inspection again.

Affordable housing properties will be exempt from the annual rental registration permit fee, according to City Council’s legislation.

Structures built before 1978 also will be subject to a lead dust wipe inspection, as required by the city’s new Lead Safety Ordinance.

“Rental registration is an important tool for cities like Pittsburgh to protect renters, enforce safety, and provide the structural supports government is meant to provide,” said Sarah Kinter, director of the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections.

Councilman Bruce Kraus, who said he’s been pushing for the initiative for about 15 years, said he was glad to see the measure being implemented.

“Finally, there’s going to be an avenue to hold landlords responsible for the health, safety and well-being of their residents,” Kraus said.

The city will provide additional information about the application and inspection process in the coming months. Training sessions will be available for applicants to learn how to create an account in the OneStopPGH portal and how to submit a rental registration online.