(A) Each owner of real estate within the city using real estate for the purpose of erecting or maintaining a rental unit must annually registering the property with the Rental Housing Officer. The registration shall be effected by furnishing to that officer, upon a form furnished by the officer, the following information:
(1) Name of owner and emergency contact phone numbers;
(2) Mailing address of owner;
(3) Email address of owner;
(4) Brief description of type and number of rental units; and
(5) Name and address of owner's agent, if any, authorized to receive notification of complaints, damages, emergencies, substandard conditions or other communications, including service of process. The address of any agent so designated shall be within the state. Any owner who does not reside in Indiana shall be required to designate a resident agent.
(B) The registration form shall be signed by the owner.
(C) Whenever ownership of a rental unit changes, the new owner shall register the property.
(D) Notification of the owner or his agent at the address shown on the registration form shall constitute sufficient notice pursuant to any provision of this subchapter.
(E) The annual registration form shall be accompanied by the following annual fee of $5 for each unit:
(1) An apartment complex containing multiple units meeting the definition of rental unit community is charged the appropriate annual fee for the rental unit community;
(2) A house rented to a single family would be charged a single fee;
(3) A house rented to four or less unrelated individuals will be charged a single fee; and
(4) A house rented to five or more unrelated individuals, as defined under “rooming house” in § 156.01, would be charged one fee per individual bedroom unless determined to be a rental unit community.
(F) It shall be a violation of this subchapter for any owner to maintain a rental unit which has not been registered in accordance with this section.
(G) The annual registration fee shall be due on February 1 of each year.
(Ord. 27-92, passed 9-14-92; Am Ord. 30-92, passed 10-13-92; Am. Ord. 27-93, passed 10-25-93; Am. Ord. 15-95, passed 8-29-95; Am. Ord. 21-2008, passed 12-8-08; Am. Ord. 38-2015, passed 12-14-15)