Official Summary Text
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL INSPECTIONS
Present law authorizes t
he governing body of a municipality
to
adopt an ordinance to inspect residential rental dwelling units that are either deteri
orated or in the process of deteriorating for compliance with applicable local housing, building, plumbing, electrical, fire, health or related codes and to promote the health, safety and welfare
of its citizens. Such an ordinance must comply with all of
the following:
Inspection district
s
:
The dwelling units
must
be located in a residential rental inspection district established by the local governing body
.
Notice
: The public authority must
make reasonable efforts to notify owners and parties in interest of residential rental dwelling units in the designated district regarding the adoption of the residential rental inspection ordinance.
Inspections
: The public authority is authorized to make initial inspections upon written notice of dwelling units that are deteriorated or are in the process of deteriorating. The authority is also authorized to make periodic inspections following an initial inspection.
Exemptions
: After an inspection where no violations were found or if all violations were remedied, a dwelling unit must be provided an exemption from further inspection for a minimum of four years. Such exemption may be revoked if the dwelling unit becomes in violation during the exemption period.
Public officers
:
The residential rental inspection ordinance adopted by the governing body of the municipality may authorize
a
public officer to exercise
the ordinance's
powers
.
Fees
:
A local governing body may not establish a fee schedule to administer
a
residential rental inspection ordinance
.
However, the above present law regarding residential rental inspections only applies to Goodlettsville, East Ridge, Oak Ridge, Davidson County, and
Shelby
County.
This bill deletes the provisions that limit the scope of such authority to only the above
cities and counties, making the authority to adopt an ordinance, in accordance with the above procedures and conditions, available to any municipality in this state.
REPAIRING UNFIT STRUCTURES
W
henever
any municipality of this state finds that there exi
sts in such municipality structures
that
are unfit for human occupation or use
, present law confers
power upon such municipality to exercise its police powers to repair, close or demolish the structure
,
after a certain procedure is followed, including noti
ce and a hearing.
If, after such notice and hearing, the public officer determines that the structure is unfit for human occupation or use, the public officer
must
state in writing
such
findings and serve
an order on
the owner
for repair.
If the repair,
alteration or improvement of the structure can be made at a reasonable cost in relation to the value of the structure,
such order must
requir
e
the owner, within
a
specified
time
, to repair, alter or improve such structure to render it fit for human occupat
ion or use or to vacate and close the structure as a place of human occupation or use
. This bill revises the options presented to the owner so that the owner may only heed the order by rendering
it fit for human occupation
. The option that the owner may
render the structure fit for human use or vacate and close the structure is removed.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
<BillNo> <Sponsor>
SENATE BILL 488
By Bowling
SB0488
000901
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13,
Chapter 21, relative to buildings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 13-21-314, is amended by deleting
the section.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 13-21-103(3)(A), is amended by
deleting the language "or to vacate and close the structure as a place of human occupation or
use".
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.