Hawaiian Gardens : Council Gives Tentative OK to Rental Inspection Law

The City Council has tentatively approved an ordinance requiring inspection of rental units to detect problems such as unsafe conditions or illegal dwellings, including converted garages. Under terms of the ordinance, which is expected to receive final approval Feb. 23, rental units would be subject to inspection when tenants move or when the city receives complaints about a property. Inspections would be limited to viewing property from the outside, but inspectors could go inside if they believed building codes or health and safety laws were being violated.

Officials said inspections would be made 24 to 48 hours after the city is notified of a vacant unit by the owner. The city is expected to charge owners $30 to $40 for an inspection, although the precise fee will be established later. Owners who violate the ordinance would be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in jail.