One likely winner as Denver requires rental licenses? Home inspectors
BusinessDen file)
The home inspection industry in Denver is poised to get a boost.
When the Denver City Council voted to require licenses for all residential rental properties earlier this month, it mandated that the properties pass an inspection in order to get a license.
Shawn Veith
“I would be hiring some people,” said one industry veteran, Shawn Veith of Home Inspection of Denver. “No way I could keep up with that myself.”
But not everyone in the industry sees the requirement as useful, and some have questions about liability and whether they can achieve the pricing touted during discussions of the measure.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock wants his once-thriving city back. As such, the refreshingly pragmatic Democrat this week implored downtown employees to return to their offices.
It is easy to understand his motive. Professionals downtown generate sales tax dollars with every coffee shop, restaurant and parking meter transaction. They support retail businesses and jobs, each one crucial to maintaining the physical, mental, and environmental well-being of Colorado.
A group of downtown business owners and the Downtown Business Partnership joined Hancock in his plea on Wednesday. Business and government leaders throughout the state should follow their lead and advocate the restoration of normalcy in business districts throughout the state.
The new landlord requirement will be the largest licensing program in Denver. Author: Caroline Gregor (9News) Updated: 10:18 PM MDT May 3, 2021
DENVER A bill that will create the largest licensing program in Denver passed in a unanimous vote at a city council meeting Monday night.
Rental property owners will now be required to have a license – the requirement goes into effect in a phasing process – multi-family rental property owners have until Jan. 1, 2023, to secure a license and single-family rental property owners have until Jan. 1, 2024.
Denver already requires short-term rental property owners to be licensed, but the city council president wanted to expand that to all landlords in the city.
In hopes of getting a handle on the size and makeup of this city s rental market and also raising the floor for dwelling requirements, Denver City Council has enacted a new landlord licensing system as part of a Healthy Residental Rentals for All program. This is a basic responsibility for a city the size and depth of Denver, that we know what our rental stack is and it meets basic habitation rules, Councilmember Jamie Torres said during the May 3 council meeting, before her colleagues unanimously approved the proposal.
The ordinance, championed by council President Stacie Gilmore, sets minimum standards that residential landlords will have to meet in Denver in order to receive a license to rent out a property. The standards include appliances being in good working condition and free of leaks ; landlords must also ensure that all dwelling units within a residential rental property contain a functioning smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher.
After unanimous approval, the measure heads to Mayor Michael Hancock’s desk. He “is not opposed,” a spokeswoman said, and will likely sign it into law.