Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 15.14 § 15.14.040
Exempt units
Operative Text
Rental units located in dwellings containing three or fewer rental units, one of which is occupied by the owner, shall be exempt from the inspection requirements of this ordinance. The inspectional services department will provide exempt unit owners with educational materials on all code requirements relative to their units on a regular basis.
Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 15.14 § 15.14.040 carves out an exemption from the ordinance's mandatory inspection requirements for rental units in small owner-occupied buildings—specifically, dwellings with three or fewer rental units where the owner lives in one of them. Units meeting this description are not subject to the same scheduled inspections that apply to other rental properties under this chapter. The city's inspectional services department is still required to periodically supply owners of these exempt units with educational materials covering applicable code requirements.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 15.14.040, owners of small residential buildings who live on-site and have no more than three total rental units generally fall outside the ordinance's routine inspection program. A compliant owner in this category stays informed by reviewing the educational materials that the inspectional services department distributes, since the underlying housing code standards still apply to the units even without mandatory inspections. Keeping records of those materials and maintaining the property to code reflects the kind of ongoing diligence associated with responsible ownership of exempt units.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 15.14.040 means that if you rent in a small owner-occupied building covered by this exemption, your unit is not subject to the same scheduled city inspections required for other rental properties in Lawrence. However, the exemption is from inspections only—the substantive housing code requirements still govern the condition of the unit. Tenants in exempt buildings who have concerns about habitability or code compliance can look into filing a complaint with the city's inspectional services department, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether a code violation could be raised as a defense or claim in a relevant legal proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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