About 80 percent of the rental units in the city of Jackson have been entered in the city’s newly created registry.
“We’ve had 4,499 applications (as of Aug. 17)” said Chloe Dotson, director of the city’s Planning and Zoning Department.
The number of applications reflects more than those for just single apartments. “One application could be for a whole big apartment complex,” she said.
The city council voted to adopt the rental registration ordinance on Dec. 20, 2022 with the hope that provisions included in it would push landlords to keep their properties well maintained.
As of last year, the city of Jackson has more housing units occupied by renters than homeowners. The city of Jackson has about 32,000 rental units compared to 31,000 homeowner-occupied units.
The ordinance set a $50 per unit rental registration fee, a $100 per unit re-inspection fee and a $50 per unit annual registration fee and established inspection requirements.
The ordinance, which created inspection requirements, states that “No later than sixty (60 days) after receiving a completed application and fees, the Department shall notify the owner(s) of an inspection date and time. Inspection of rental units shall be conducted as follows: (1) 1-4 units – 100 percent of units inspected; (2) 5-29 units – at least 20% of units inspected; (3) 30-49 units – at least 15% of units inspected; (4) 50 or more units – at least 10% of united inspected.”
The ordinance requires a local agent, which is defined as a “real person who resides in the city limits of Jackson and is available to respond reasonably to contact made by the Director of Planning or designee on a 24-hour basis. The local agent must be able to legally represent the owner.”
Registration got underway earlier this year, with March 30 as the deadline for owners with more than 100 rental units; June 30, owners with 50-99 units; and Aug. 30, owners with fewer than 50 units.
For failure to register a rental unit by the deadline there is a $500 per unit penalty and an unauthorized occupancy without a certificate of compliance carries a $150 per unit penalty.
A Dec. 15, 2022 town hall meeting that provided the opportunity for residents to offer feedback about the proposed ordinance drew a diverse crowd of apartment owners from a Belhaven resident with a single backyard unit to managers of complexes with numerous units.
During the town hall meeting, Janelle Hederman, a Realtor and property owner, asked: “Do you expect all owners, small and large, to willfully register or just be rule followers? What if someone doesn’t register?”
Justin Peterson, manager of State Street Group, which developed the Meridian at Fondren apartments and The Quarter House apartments, asked the council to consider an exemption from the inspection requirement for new and professionally-managed apartment developments that have been inspected by the city and for which the city has issued a certificate of occupancy.
Peterson said many people want to live in Jackson and will move to Jackson to live in well-managed apartments. “Jackson has a lot to offer,” he said.
