(a) Well-maintained rental property with no outstanding violations of any applicable laws may qualify to participate in the Self-Certification Program. Qualifying properties will not be subject to annual inspections; provided that conditions of the rental property do not deteriorate during that time to the point where the rental property would no longer meet eligibility standards for the Self-Certification Program.
(b) To qualify for the Self-Certification Program, a property owner must:
(1) Complete the Self-Certification Program application packet provided by the City;
(2) Pay the annual inspection fee and any other fees required by this Chapter;
(3) Conduct a self-inspection of all exterior and interior site conditions of each rental property or properties for compliance with the requirements of the self-certification form provided by the City; and
(4) Immediately make any repairs to the residential rental unit(s) that are necessary to achieve compliance with the requirements of the self-certification form;
(5) Complete the self-certification form and certify that conditions at the rental property or properties meet the exterior and interior standards listed on the self-certification form.
(6) Return the completed self-certification form to the City.
(c) Upon receipt of a completed self-certification form the City shall perform an inspection of the rental property. If the City determines that the property is qualified to participate in the Self-Certification Program a certificate of compliance will be issued, and the property owner will not be subject to the annual inspection requirement thereafter. The owner shall provide a copy of the Self-Certification Program certificate of compliance to the occupants of the corresponding residential rental property unit. Recertification in the Self-Certification Program shall be required every year for each residential rental unit.
(d) If the City determines that the property is not eligible to participate in the Self-Certification Program, then the residential rental property shall be subject to inspection and the property owner shall be assessed the annual inspection fee as well as any other applicable fees.
(e) The City may, from time to time, randomly subject properties in the Self-Certification Program to an annual inspection under Section 5.22.070 to ensure compliance with the program.
(f) At all times, the City shall retain the authority to investigate and address any violation of applicable laws.
(g) Any property owner that fails to maintain a rental property to meet all of the standards listed on the Self-Certification Program's checklist, or is found to have caused to allow conditions identified in the crime-free addendum to exist, shall immediately be removed from the Self-Certification Program and become subject to annual inspections.
(h) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly make a false statement of fact or knowingly omit any information that is required on the self-certification form.
(Ord. 192, passed 1-15-2020)