UPDATE: Effective February 6, 2026, the City of Cleveland no longer requires a mandatory exterior inspection before the sale or transfer of 1–3 unit vacant residential properties. Read more here. 

Need To Know, Part II:  How does Cleveland's Residents First legislation affect landlords and commercial property owners? 

With the city of Cleveland's passage of its new Residents First legislation, the regulations around owning property are about to change. Starting next month, all owners of non-owner-occupied residential properties must pay registration fees for each of their properties in Cleveland. (Learn more on the city's website or read the entire legislation package.) 

(We previously recapped five things you need to know about Residents First – the city's new point-of-sale legislation – on our blog here. Residents First does not apply to owner-occupied 1-3 family properties.) 

If you're a landlord, you'll also be required to have a certificate approving rental occupancy in order to "rent in good standing with the city and be compliant with the new legislation," says the city's website. 

To get the certificate, landlords and owners of vacant property must provide additional documentation. First, if you're an out-of-town landlord, you'll need an affidavit naming a local agent in charge. Second, you'll need to show proof that you're current with your taxes or have  an established payment plan. And third, you'll need to show that your property is certified lead safe. 

Let's break down what each of these items mean for landlords and owners of vacant property.

Local agent in charge

This requirement only affects property owners who live outside of Northeast Ohio. This means if you live in Cuyahoga County or a contiguous county, this doesn't apply to you. 

What is a local-agent-in-charge? The city of Cleveland says it's "someone who can be held liable for any violations in place of the owner if the owner is unable to be located." Basically, the city wants to know there's someone locally who can be held accountable for problems that come up with rental properties. The city will provide an affidavit form to be signed by the owner and local-agent-in-charge. Both parties will need to provide a copy of valid photo ID. 

Property taxes current

To obtain the certification, you must pay your property taxes on time or have a payment plan in place you're keeping up with. If you're having trouble paying your taxes, the city recommends contacting County Taxpayer Services to set up a payment plan by calling 216/443-7400, Option 1. Or visit the Cuyahoga County Treasurer's Office for more information. 

Lead safe compliance

The city's lead safe ordinance aims to remove lead hazards from rental properties. Any residential rental units in the city that were built before 1978 now have to be lead safe. Property owners can obtain a two-year or twenty-year certification, and any lead hazard control orders – basically, open violations – issued against the property have to be corrected and closed before a lead safe certificate can be issued. 

To obtain a certification, rental property owners must pass a Lead Clearance conducted by an independent, certified lead safe worker, according to Lead Safe Cleveland. A clearance examination costs $250-500. 

More requirements

Here are a few more things to know about the ordinance affecting non-owner-occupied residential properties. 

• Violation free: The property can't have open code violations. 
• Compliant with fees: You can't owe the city any outstanding money. 
• LLC properties: You have to prove your LLC is in good standing with the state of Ohio. 

And for owners of buildings with four or more units, there are at least three more requirements: 

• Utilities must be current: If you're paying utilities in a multi-unit building, you have to show they're paid up. 
• HVAC certification: Owners of multifamily buildings must have their HVAC systems inspected annually. 
• Bond: According to the city, vacant commercial properties also require a $5,000-15,000 cash bond upon registration.

Penalties

What's the enforcement mechanism? Beyond taking owners to housing court, which can be a lengthy process, the city now has the ability to issue civil tickets with a $200 fine per infraction. The fine will be assessed to the tax duplicate if unpaid. There's also a $50 fee for late payments. Civil tickets can be issued for things like maintenance of exterior walls and roof, smoke detection and alarm systems, pest infestation, and lead-safe certification requirements. 

Questions? The city recommends contacting the Department of Housing, Records Administration at (216) 664-2825 or email the team at Bhrental@clevelandohio.gov.

We're here to help you navigate these changes. If you have questions or need help getting through these new requirements, please contact Progressive Urban at 216/619-9696.