Pontiac Protects Tenants From Mismanaged Properties

PONTIAC, MI (January 17, 2024) – Renters experiencing challenges with apartment management or landlords in Pontiac now have enforceable options for addressing their complaints. The City of Pontiac has launched several robust ordinances to assist renters. The City adopted Housing Ordinances 22-801, 22-803, and 22-806 in an effort to maintain and register properties, hold property owners accountable for mismanagement, and protect tenants from substandard living conditions. The policies also provide residents with contingency plans in instances where property owners fail to fix compliance violations.

In Michigan, the remedies for property law violations are limited, which can be burdensome for renters. However, Pontiac officials made it a top priority to eliminate blight by maintaining proper living conditions for residents. With the collaborative efforts of the Code Enforcement division and Pontiac City Council, the city has expedited a fresh initiative to improve the quality of life for residents.

“We’re focused on protecting the dignity and well-being of all Pontiac residents. To that end, the City has increased inspections of rental units and implemented a new ordinance to protect tenants who are living in units that have not been inspected by the City or have not been certified as being in proper condition,” said Mayor Tim Greimel. “We are also committed to informing tenants of their rights under both city ordinance and state law so they are aware of available resources to help protect them from substandard living conditions.”

The Code Enforcement division is responsible for implementing residential safety codes in the city. Code Enforcement had more than 7,100 reports of unregistered properties in January, 2023 and addressed approximately 6,000 rental units. The team actively patrols pursuant to a comprehensive zoning schedule to investigate and ensure inspection compliance.

"It feels amazing to advocate for residents off the strength of all housing ordinances and applicable safety codes to ensure that all of our residents in Pontiac have access to safe housing”, said City of Pontiac Code Enforcement Manager Jack McIntyre. "Our residents deserve the best quality of life and work hard to maintain a healthy home environment for themselves and their families".

The City will conduct a series of town hall meetings to inform residents about tenant rights and how to resolve conflicts with property owners. The Tenant Rights Town Hall meetings will also inform renters through informational bulletins about a variety of legal steps to take when landlords are not compliant on property maintenance, required inspections, and rental payment protocols.

The town hall meeting dates are as follows:

• January 20—11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Robert Bowens Senior Center (52 Bagley Street Pontiac, MI 48341).
• January 29—5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Robert Bowens Senior Center (52 Bagley Street Pontiac, MI 48341).
• February 1—11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pontiac City Hall (47350 Woodward Avenue Pontiac, MI 48342).

The public is invited to attend the upcoming Town Hall meetings and learn about the recently adopted ordinances. Housing Ordinance 22-801, 22-803, and 22-806 were approved by City Council on August 1, 2023. The policies state that all rental properties must be registered through the City of Pontiac, and have safety inspections every 3 years, (or when a new tenant moves in). If a property owner is proven to be negligent on property maintenance, renters can report mismanagement to Code Enforcement and place their rent money into an escrow account through the Pontiac City Treasurer’s Office.

Property owners have 30 days to conduct maintenance or register reported property, or the rent money will go back to the tenant. The ordinance also protects tenants from retaliation tactics from landlords. For more information on these ordinances or any other code enforcement matters, please contact the division at (248) 758-2832.