1     
GOOD LANDLORD PROGRAM REVISIONS

2     
2015 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Brian S. King

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill enacts language related to municipal requirements of a landlord.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     prohibits a municipality from requiring a landlord to deny tenancy based on an
13     individual's criminal record.
14     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15          None
16     Other Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Utah Code Sections Affected:
19     AMENDS:
20          10-1-203.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 289
21     

22     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          Section 1. Section 10-1-203.5 is amended to read:
24          10-1-203.5. Disproportionate rental fee -- Good landlord training program -- Fee
25     reduction.
26          (1) As used in this section:
27          (a) "Business" means the rental of one or more residential units within a municipality.

28          (b) "Disproportionate rental fee" means a fee adopted by a municipality to recover its
29     disproportionate costs of providing municipal services to residential rental units compared to
30     similarly-situated owner-occupied housing.
31          (c) "Disproportionate rental fee reduction" means a reduction of a disproportionate
32     rental fee as a condition of complying with the requirements of a good landlord training
33     program.
34          (d) "Exempt business" means the rental of a residential unit within a single structure
35     that contains:
36          (i) no more than four residential units; and
37          (ii) one unit occupied by the owner.
38          (e) "Exempt landlord" means a residential landlord who demonstrates to a
39     municipality:
40          (i) completion of any live good landlord training program offered by any other Utah
41     city that offers a good landlord program;
42          (ii) that the residential landlord has a current professional designation of "property
43     manager"; or
44          (iii) compliance with a requirement described in Subsection (4).
45          (f) "Good landlord training program" means a program offered by a municipality to
46     encourage business practices that are designed to reduce the disproportionate cost of municipal
47     services to residential rental units by offering a disproportionate rental fee reduction for any
48     landlord who:
49          (i) (A) completes a landlord training program provided by the municipality; or
50          (B) is an exempt landlord;
51          (ii) implements measures to reduce crime in rental housing as specified in a municipal
52     ordinance or policy; and
53          (iii) operates and manages rental housing in accordance with an applicable municipal
54     ordinance.
55          (g) "Municipal services" means:
56          (i) public utilities;
57          (ii) police;
58          (iii) fire;

59          (iv) code enforcement;
60          (v) storm water runoff;
61          (vi) traffic control;
62          (vii) parking;
63          (viii) transportation;
64          (ix) beautification; or
65          (x) snow removal.
66          (h) "Municipal services study" means a study of the cost of all municipal services to
67     rental housing that:
68          (i) are reasonably attributable to the rental housing; and
69          (ii) exceed the municipality's cost to serve similarly-situated, owner-occupied housing.
70          (2) The legislative body of a municipality may charge and collect a disproportionate
71     rental fee on a business that causes disproportionate costs to municipal services if the
72     municipality:
73          (a) has performed a municipal services study; and
74          (b) adopts a disproportionate rental fee that does not exceed the amount that is justified
75     by the municipal services study on a per residential rental unit basis.
76          (3) A municipality may not:
77          (a) impose a disproportionate rental fee on an exempt business;
78          (b) require a landlord to deny tenancy to an individual [released from probation or
79     parole whose conviction date occurred more than four years before the date of tenancy] based
80     on the individual's criminal record; or
81          (c) without cause and notice, require a landlord to submit to a random building
82     inspection.
83          (4) In addition to a requirement or qualification described in Subsection (1)(e), a
84     municipality may recognize a landlord training described in its ordinance.
85          (5) (a) If a municipality adopts a good landlord program, the municipality shall provide
86     an appeal procedure affording due process of law to a landlord who is denied a
87     disproportionate rental fee reduction.
88          (b) A municipality may not adopt a new disproportionate rental fee unless the
89     municipality provides a disproportionate rental fee reduction.







Legislative Review Note
     as of 2-27-15 4:36 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel