Housing

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties beyond mentioning civil penalties.

Municipal Rental Property Registry Act

This bill allows cities and counties to create a registry for rental properties within their jurisdiction and requires property owners to register these rentals annually.

What This Bill Does

• Allows cities and counties to establish a registry of all residential rental dwelling units within their jurisdiction.
• Requires the owner of each rental home to provide information about the property, including its address and compliance with safety rules, every year.
• Exempts certain types of properties from registration, such as those owned by government entities or where the owner lives on-site and rents out fewer than two units.
• Permits cities and counties to charge a fee for maintaining the registry and take legal action if an owner does not register their rental property.
• Requires cities and counties that create this list to use it to help enforce housing safety rules and submit yearly reports about the effectiveness of the registry.

Who It Names or Affects

• Property owners who rent out homes in cities or counties with a rental property registry.
• Tenants living in registered rental properties.
• Government agencies responsible for enforcing building codes, zoning laws, and health regulations.

Terms To Know

Municipality

A city, town, or county that has the power to make local laws and manage its own affairs.

Residential rental dwelling unit

A home or apartment that is rented out to tenants.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if a municipality fails to create the registry.
• It is unclear how much information will be available to the public and under what conditions.

Official Summary Text

MUNICIPAL REGISTRY OF RESIDE
NTIAL RENTAL DWELLING UNITS

This bill authorizes a
county, including any county having a metropolitan form of government, or incorporated city or town in this state
(together, "
municipality
")

to
create, implement, and enforce a rental property registry f
or all residential rental dwelling units
that are leased or rented
within the municipality's jurisdiction.

A municipal registry of residential rental dwelling units must include, at a minimum,
all of
the following:



The physical address of each residential rental dwelling unit
.



The name, mailing address, and contact information of the owner of the residential rental dwelling unit
.



The name and contact information of the property management entity for the residential rental dwelling unit, if any
.



The number of separate rental units at the residential rental dwelling unit
.



Verification that the residential rental dwelling unit complies with applicable building codes, zoning ordinances, and health and safety regulations.

REGISTRATION BY OWNER

This bill
requires

e
ach owner of a residential rental dwelling unit located in a municipality that adopts a registry
to
register the residential rental dwelling unit with the municipality on an annual basis.

A municipality may charge a reasonable fee to cover admin
istrative costs associated with maintaining the registry.
F
ailure by an owner to register a residential rental dwelling unit may result in civil penalties or other legal action, as established by the governing body of the municipality.
However, the
follo
wing properties are exempt from registration:



Owner-occupied residential rental dwelling units that rent fewer than two units on the premises
.



Residential rental dwelling units owned by governmental or quasi-governmental entities.

CODE ENFORCEMENT

This bill requires a
municipality that adopts a registry
to
integrate the registry into the municipality's code enforcement processes to assist in monitoring and enforcing compliance with health, safety, and housing standards.

A municipality may inspect a
registered residential rental dwelling unit to ensure compliance, consistent with state and local laws.

CONFIDENTIALITY

This bill provides that

n
on-sensitive information that is contained in a registry established under this
bill
is not confidential an
d may be made accessible to tenants and the public.

However, p
roprietary or personal information contained in
the
registry is confidential and not open to inspection as a public record.

CONFLICT OF LAWS

This
bill
does not preempt or override any existi
ng state law or rule
and
must be construed to supplement such laws and rules.

ANNUAL REPORT

This bill requires a
municipality that establishes a registry
to
submit an annual report to the department of economic and community development, in such manner
as the department may require, that details
(i) t
he number of properties registered
,
(
ii
)
c
ode violations identified and resolved
,
and

(
iii
)
t
he overall effectiveness of the registry in improving housing conditions.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1008
By Oliver

HOUSE BILL 1381
By Harris

HB1381
002250
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13,
Chapter 21, relative to municipal rental property
registries.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13, Chapter 21, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
13-21-401.
As used in this part:
(1) "Dwelling unit" means a building or structure or part thereof that is
used for a home or residence by one (1) or more persons who maintain a
household;
(2) "Governing body" means the council, commission, or board, or other
legislative body, charged with governing a municipality;
(3) "Municipality" means any county, including any county having a
metropolitan form of government, or incorporated city or town in this state; and
(4) "Residential rental dwelling unit" means a dwelling unit that is leased
or rented to one (1) or more tenants. However, a dwelling unit occupied in part
by the dwelling unit owner is not a residential rental dwelling unit unless
otherwise provided by the zoning ordinance of the municipality.
13-21-402.
(a) A municipality may create, implement, and enforce a rental property registry
for all residential rental dwelling units within the municipality's jurisdiction.

- 2 - 002250

(b) A municipal registry of residential rental dwelling units must include, at a
minimum, the following:
(1) The physical address of each residential rental dwelling unit;
(2) The name, mailing address, and contact information of the owner of
the residential rental dwelling unit;
(3) The name and contact information of the property management entity
for the residential rental dwelling unit, if any;
(4) The number of separate rental units at the residential rental dwelling
unit; and
(5) Verification that the residential rental dwelling unit complies with
applicable building codes, zoning ordinances, and health and safety regulations.
13-21-403.
(a) Each owner of a residential rental dwelling unit located in a municipality that
adopts a registry pursuant to § 13-21-402 shall register the residential rental dwelling
unit with the municipality on an annual basis.
(b) A municipality may charge a reasonable fee to cover administrative costs
associated with maintaining the registry.
(c) A failure by an owner to register a residential rental dwelling unit may result
in civil penalties or other legal action, as established by the governing body of the
municipality.
(d) The following properties are exempt from registration under this section:
(1) Owner-occupied residential rental dwelling units that rent fewer than
two (2) units on the premises; and
(2) Residential rental dwelling units owned by governmental or quasi-
governmental entities.

- 3 - 002250

13-21-404.
(a) A municipality that adopts a registry pursuant to § 13-21-402 shall integrate
the registry into the municipality's code enforcement processes to assist in monitoring
and enforcing compliance with health, safety, and housing standards.
(b) A municipality may inspect a registered residential rental dwelling unit to
ensure compliance, consistent with state and local laws.
13-21-405.
(a) Non-sensitive information that is contained in a registry established under
this part is not confidential and may be made accessible to tenants and the public.
(b) Proprietary or personal information contained in a registry established under
this part is confidential and not open to inspection as a public record.
13-21-406.
This part does not preempt or override any existing state law or rule, but must be
construed to supplement such laws and rules.
13-21-407.
A municipality that establishes a registry under this part shall submit an annual
report to the department of economic and community development, in such manner as
the department may require, that details the following:
(1) The number of properties registered;
(2) Code violations identified and resolved; and
(3) The overall effectiveness of the registry in improving housing
conditions.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.