Benton Harbor, MI Code of Ordinances Ch. 20 Art. VI Annual Registration of Habitable Rental Properties §§ 20-165 – 20-204 § 20-175
Tenant responsibility
Operative Text
In the event a violation exists which prevents the issuance of a Certificate of Compliance due to the actions or failure to act by the tenant, then the tenant may also be cited for the violation and subject to punishment under Section 20-176 of this Article for the violation.
Under Benton Harbor, MI Code of Ordinances § 20-175, when a code violation that blocks the issuance of a Certificate of Compliance is caused by a tenant's actions or inaction, the tenant—not just the landlord—can be held responsible for that violation. The provision creates a mechanism for citing tenants directly when their conduct is the source of the non-compliance. Penalties for such a citation are governed by § 20-176 of the same article.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 20-175, landlords should be aware that the burden of a compliance violation does not automatically fall on the property owner when the violation stems from a tenant's conduct or neglect. Compliant operators generally document the condition of units and maintain records that can distinguish between landlord-caused and tenant-caused deficiencies. This distinction can be relevant when a Certificate of Compliance is at risk and the city is determining who bears responsibility for the underlying violation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 20-175 of the Benton Harbor Code of Ordinances means that tenants can be cited—and potentially punished under § 20-176—if their own actions or failure to act create a condition that prevents a Certificate of Compliance from being issued. Tenants who receive such a citation may want to review the specific violation notice carefully to understand what conduct is alleged. Consulting a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office can help tenants understand available responses, including whether the citation was properly issued.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.