1. City of Edwardsville Rental Registration/Inspection Program

2. Our Mission is to protect the life, safety, general welfare and health of all persons occupying rental dwelling units in the City limits of Edwardsville, by enforcing life safety standards pertaining to the maintenance of residential rental property.
The City of Edwardsville’s Rental Registration and Inspection Program was developed by a Focus Group that included Key City Staff and Council Members. Careful review of similar programs in other communities were taken into consideration to come up with the process.
The Goal is to ensure a safer rental housing stock, protect property values, and improve accountability of rental units. The program has been in effect since January 2014.
Under the new program, the City has a goal of completing inspections of all rental properties within a three year cycle. The timing of inspection will depend upon a number of factors such as tenant complaint, neighbor complaint, requested by property owner or manager or advisement of Safety Personnel. Properties that have had a high amount of exterior code violations will trigger a mandatory interior inspection.
City of Edwardsville Inspectors may conduct periodic inspections of the property and address Health Hazards, Fire and Life-Safety Code violations and ensure that residents are living in safe, habitable conditions.

3. REGISTERED RENTAL UNITS
TYPE
BUILDINGS
UNITS
Single Family Units
832
Duplexes
162
325
Multi-family Units
274
1982
Exempt Properties 67
Total
3,206
1,335
The City has close to 2,900 registered rental properties to date. We are coordinating efforts with the City Clerk’s utility records, Madison County Property Records and continually find non registered properties.
We have performed hundreds of Safe Housing inspections and provide Safety Checklists for Property Owners to perform their own inspections prior to us going out. We personally meet with the property owners and explain the program and will be holding more Presentations.

4. RENTAL REGISTRATION FEES
Anyone who owns or operates residential rental property in the City limits of Edwardsville must register their property(s) January 1st annually.
FEE STRUCTURE
ANNUAL FEE
Single Family / Mobile Home – Per Building
$40.00
Duplexes – Per Building ($30/side)
$60.00
Multi-family Units (3+ Units) – Per Unit
$25.00
Late Registration – Per Unit
$75.00
1st Re-Inspection
$FREE
Subsequent Re-Inspection(s)
The program is designed to be self funded. The Registration and Inspection fees are due annually along with the Registration Form. This fee includes the initial inspection.

5. CODES IN EFFECT WITHIN THE CITY OF EDWARDSVILLE
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
CODES IN EFFECT WITHIN THE CITY OF EDWARDSVILLE
International Building Code – 2006 Edition
International Fire Code – 2006 Edition
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code – 2000 Edition
Illinois State Plumbing Code 2004 Edition
National Electrical Code – 2005 Edition (with amendments)
International Mechanical Code – 2006 Edition
International Property Maintenance Code – 2006 Edition
International Residential Code – 2006 Edition (with amendments)
International Energy Conservation Code – 2009 Edition
Americans with Disabilities Act
Illinois Accessibility Code
City Land Development Code & Zoning Ordinance

6. CONSTRUCTION PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS
Permits are required for major repairs, interior renovations and other maintenance activities as on the Safe Housing Checklist.
Permits and inspections are necessary to ensure the health and safety of the citizens and to ensure that all work performed is done in a workmanlike manner.
Permits are required for major repairs, interior renovations and other maintenance activities as on the Safe Housing Checklist.
Permits and inspections are necessary to ensure the health and safety of the citizens and to ensure that all work performed is done in a workmanlike manner consistent with the technical knowledge necessary and applicable codes.

7. EXTERIOR INSPECTION Roof, Gutters, and Downspouts Exterior Structure
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
EXTERIOR INSPECTION
Roof, Gutters, and Downspouts
Exterior Structure
Walking Surfaces
Decks, Porches, Stairs
Handrails
House & Unit Numbering

8. INTERIOR INSPECTION Egress Smoke Alarms Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
INTERIOR INSPECTION
Egress
Smoke Alarms
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Windows
Electrical
HVAC
Infestation

9. How do I prepare for an inspection
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
How do I prepare for an inspection
Review the City’s Safe Housing Checklist
Conduct your own inspection
Correct any potential violations
We strongly recommend that you conduct your own inspection or walk thru of each rental unit/dwelling prior to the City’s inspection to assure they are in the best condition possible and correct any potential violations.
Please use the Safe Housing Checklist as a guide.

10. What should I bring to an inspection
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
What should I bring to an inspection
Batteries – for smoke detectors
Smoke Detectors
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Outlet & light switch covers
Light bulbs
Step stool or ladder
Tool box or screwdriver
Keys for each building/unit
Pen & paper for your notes 
Some violations can be corrected during the inspection and we encourage you to do so.
The following items would be helpful in resolving potential violations that are easily repaired:
Batteries – for smoke detectors
Outlet & light switch covers
Light bulbs (in case some are missing)
Step stool or ladder
Tool box or screwdriver
Keys for each building/unit
Pen & paper for your notes

11. Who should attend the inspection?
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Who should attend the inspection?
Property Owner or Property Manager
Tenant (optional)
City Building Inspector(s)
Rental Inspection Coordinator
Who needs to be present for the inspection?
We only require that the owner, owner’s agent, or representative be present for the inspection. Tenants can be present but it is not mandatory.

12. Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Violations
If a violation can not be corrected on site you will receive:
A Notice of Violation with a deadline date for corrections
Corrections by re-inspection or photographic evidence
What happens if there are violations found that could not be corrected on site?
A Notice of Violation, including a deadline date by which to correct all violations (generally 30 days) will be prepared by staff and ed or mailed to the provided address of owner or owner’s agent.
Notification will include if a physical re-inspection is required or if photographic or other evidence of repair will be accepted.

13. SCHEDULE RE-INSPECTIONS
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
SCHEDULE RE-INSPECTIONS
Contact the Rental Inspection Coordinator prior to deadline date.
Re-inspection necessary by deadline to avoid fines.
How will re-inspections be scheduled and conducted?
Owner or owner’s agent should contact the Rental Inspection Coordinator prior to deadline date stated in the Notice of Violation to schedule the re-inspection.
If a re-inspection is not scheduled by the deadline, and the owner or owner’s agent fails to comply or work with staff the property owner will be cited and must appear in Municipal Court. Fines will be assessed.

14. Common Violations – GFCI’s
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations – GFCI’s
GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. A GFCI has two buttons: a test and a reset button.
The National Electrical Code requires GFCI Outlets in the kitchen, bathroom, unfinished basements, laundry sinks, wet bar sinks, garages and outdoor outlets.
A properly working GFCI outlet is intended to protect you from a shock hazard due to wet or damp floors, or areas like a kitchen counter surface or bathroom where water is present.

15. Common Violations – GFCI Kitchen
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations – GFCI Kitchen
This diagram shows where a GFCI-protected outlet is required. Basically GFCI’s are required above all countertop areas in a kitchen.

16. Common Violations – GFCI bathroom
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations – GFCI bathroom
The photo on the left shows a light fixture directly plugged into an outlet in the floor of the bathroom.
The photo to the right photo is an example of an outlet directly above the bathroom sink that is not GFCI Protected and the light bulbs are not covered.

17. Common Violations – GFCI Laundry
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations – GFCI Laundry
The National Electrical Code requires a receptacle outlet to be installed for the laundry area and it must be supplied by a 20-amp branch circuit. The location of the washing machine and of the laundry area receptacle outlet is the determining factor as to the requirement for GFCI protection.
For example, if the laundry area receptacle outlet is located in a bathroom or an unfinished basement GFCI protection would be required for the receptacle outlet. If the washing machine is located in a laundry room or utility room that included a sink, the laundry area receptacle outlet would have to be provided with GFCI protection if it is located within 6 ft of the edge of the sink.

18. EGRESS WINDOWS
Egress windows are required in each sleeping room including basements. The minimum size requirements for an egress window is 5.7 square feet. As you can see, the firefighter has a lot of gear and if required to crawl through the window it needs to allow enough room. 

19. Excavation is brought up to finished level Install window well
Finished product including code required ladder
These are some photos we took over the summer of egress windows being installed in existing basement units. This particular unit is located off of University Drive and Devon Court in Esic. You may have drove by wondering what they were doing.
They dig the proper hole, cut the foundation wall, install window well with code required ladder and trim out the interior.
Cut foundation wall

20. Common Violations – Combustion Air
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations – Combustion Air
Inadequate combustion air openings for Gas furnaces and/or water heaters.
If you have a fuel burning furnace or water heaters you must have adequate combustion air to maintain proper furnace operations. For an example a louvered door or vents as shown in this photo.

21. Common Violations – Water Heaters
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations – Water Heaters
Pressure Relief Valve Discharge Pipe is required.
We run across a lot of water heater that do not have a temperature & pressure relief valve drain pipe installed.

22. Common Violations - Handrails
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations - Handrails
Required handrails (over four risers) are missing or not secured.

23. Replace missing balusters Replace damaged boards
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Replace missing balusters
Replace damaged boards
Missing Balusters
The property owners promptly made repairs to comply with code.
We run into a lot of missing balusters of decks.
No Balusters

24. Common Violations - decks
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Common Violations - decks
Wood rot or unsafe walking conditions.

25. We find a lot of open stairwells with no balusters or improperly spaced balusters.

26. OCCUPANCY REGULATIONS
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
OCCUPANCY REGULATIONS
No more than three (3) unrelated people can live together in a rental property/unit regardless of how many bedrooms are contained in the property.
This code is strictly enforced and there are penalties for violation of this ordinance.
Our housing code allows a maximum of three (3) unrelated people to live together in a rental unit regardless of how many bedrooms are contained in the property.
This code is strictly enforced and there are penalties for violation of this ordinance.

27. ZONING REGULATIONS R-1 Single Family Zoning
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
ZONING REGULATIONS
R-1 Single Family Zoning
Upstairs or basement apartments are prohibited unless "grandfathered”.
The property owner must prove it is a "legit" grandfathered use. If not the use must cease.
Illegal conversions are NEVER grandfathered regardless of how many years have passed.
The City of Edwardsville regulates multifamily dwellings in single family zoning districts.
Upstairs or basement apartments are prohibited in single family zoning districts unless "grandfathered”.
Illegal conversions are NEVER grandfathered regardless of how many years have passed
We are currently overlaying the Rental Location Map with the Zoning Map to determine if there are multi family rentals in single family zoning.

28. ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS
Prohibited:
Rooms or apartments over a garage
Convert a garage into an apartment.
“accessory dwelling units” such as rooms/apartments  above a garage or “garage conversions” that are leased out to tenants are not allowed.
These have been prohibited since Edwardsville first adopted a zoning code in We are aware of a couple that are grandfathered uses.

29. Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
HABITABLE ROOMS
In order for a space or room to be considered habitable space it must have a minimum of 7 feet headroom (from floor to ceiling).

30. Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
UTILITY BILLS
The tenant is primarily responsible for payment for utility service.
However, the owner of the premises is responsible if the occupant fails to pay.
The tenant is primarily responsible for their utility payments. City Ordinance states that the owner is responsible if the tenant is delinquent.
I am working with the City Clerk’s office to update the landlord information on rental properties so we can contact the landlord before the bill gets out of hand.

31. POLICE & COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
POLICE & COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS
Parking
Trash
Parties
Occupancy
Animal Complaints
Yard Maintenance
The Police Department is charged with enforcing issues such as illegal parking, nuisance complaints such as loud parties, yard maintenance, Trash/debris on the property, and will identify occupancy in the home.
Something that got the attention of property owners at our last presentation was that it is in your best interest to be an active landlord, know what is happening at your property. If there is criminal activity going on. Your rental property could be subject to seizure.
Take the time to do background checks, check on your property regularly, if you have students in your home; get their parents names and numbers as backup contacts.
Your tenants actions are a direct reflection of you. We want to keep the neighborhoods nice and maintain property values.

32. Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Emergency response
Buildings shall have address numbers placed in a position to be plainly legible and visible from the street or road fronting the property.
Minimum of 4 inches in height with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inches.
The numbers shall contrast with their background.

33. Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Emergency response
If you have multi family units, we suggest that you place unit numbers on the Gas and Electric Meters to help the emergency response team isolate an issue quickly if needed.

34. FIRE prevention Smoke Detectors Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
FIRE prevention
Smoke Detectors
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Adopted Fire and Building Codes
Code Enforcement for Existing Buildings
Sprinkler Systems
Fire Hydrant Testing
Public Education Programs
The most important job of the fire service is fire prevention. In Edwardsville, we are proud to say that, even in a growing city, we have reduced the number of devastating fires each year.
A number of programs have helped to reduce our fire losses. State and city laws, which require smoke detectors in every home continue to save lives through early warning. The city has adopted the most modern fire codes and building codes, and a vigorous code enforcement program for new and existing buildings has been effective.
Public education programs are a top priority, and our firefighters frequently spread the word through appearances at schools, scout meetings, business and civic organization meetings.
Unfortunately, fires do still occur. When that happens, our firefighters are ready to respond at a moments notice 24 hours a day. Our career firefighters are supplemented with firefighters from the Volunteer Division. All our firefighters train continuously, and advanced training is encouraged. The vehicles and equipment provided by the city are first rate, and we are proud to serve you whenever needed.

35. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers
Smoke Detectors are required on each level, each sleeping room, and within 15 feet of each sleeping room.
If you have gas appliances or an attached garage, carbon monoxide detectors are required on each level, and within 15 feet of each sleeping room.
You can purchase Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Combination devices for each level as well.

36. Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Smoke Detectors
Owner’s responsibility to install all required smoke detectors.
Tenant’s responsibility to change batteries and test.

37. Carbon monoxide detectors
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Carbon monoxide detectors
Required in homes that have fuel burning appliances
Required if you have an Attached Garage
Place within 15 feet of each Sleeping Room
Owner’s responsibility to install all required detectors.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas created when any fuel is burned - gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, coal, and even tobacco.
When the amount of air available for combustion is limited, more CO is produced. Serious problems can develop when not properly vented outside the house.
Carbon monoxide detectors are required in all homes that use fuel burning appliances and/or have an attached garage.

38. Police & Community Service Officers
Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Police & Community Service Officers
Parking
Trash
Parties
Occupancy
Animal Complaints
Yard Maintenance
The Department of Police is proud to serve a community that has a crime rate which is lower than that of the nation, the State of Illinois, Madison County, and most communities its size. 
Animal control, parking and general code enforcement are handled by the department’s community services officers, who also assist the sworn staff with some basic police duties.
The Police Department is charged with enforcing issues such as illegal parking, nuisance complaints such as loud parties, yard maintenance, Trash/debris on the property, and will identify occupancy in the home. As discussed earlier in the presentation. The occupancy code is strictly enforced.

39. Helpful Resources Illinois Department of Public Health
Illinois Attorney General –
Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws
Madison County Illinois
City of Edwardsville

40. Safe Housing Rental Registration and Inspection Program Presentation 4/21/15
Contact Information
City of Edwardsville
Public Works Department
200 East Park Street
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Denise Thibault, Rental Inspection Coordinator
Direct Line:
Public Works Office:
Fax:
Website: