Lansing — Ch. 1460 Rental Properties (§§ 1460.44–1460.52) § 1460.51
Tenant relocation fee
Operative Text
(a) Fee Responsibility. The owner or party in interest whose name appears on the City's real property tax assessment records for a rental premises shall be responsible for and pay to the City the tenant relocation fee, as provided in Subsection (b), in the event of all the following: (1) The City Office of Code Compliance determines the tenant or tenants of a rental unit or structure governed by the regulations and requirements of this Chapter 1460 must vacate the rental premises for their health and safety as a result of the rental premises being declared unsafe and uninhabitable; (2) At the time it is vacated, the rental structure is legally inhabited pursuant to this Chapter 1460 ; (3) At the time the tenants vacate the rental structure or unit, the owner, tenant, or landlord does not have a valid insurance policy in place that covers tenants' relocation costs in a sum that is equal to or exceeds the tenant relocation fee and provides proof within 24 hours of the request of the insurance policy and coverage in acceptable form to the Manager of Code Compliance; and (4) The City provides, at the City's initial cost and expense, immediate temporary replacement relocation housing for the tenant or tenants. (b) Tenant Relocation Fee. The tenant relocation fee shall be the total sum expended by the City to pay for temporary replacement relocation housing for any and all tenants relocated under Subsection (a), except that the fee reimbursement amount shall not be greater than an amount per day to be set by resolution of Council, shall not be for more than 30 days, and shall not exceed the amount the City actually pays for the housing. (c) Collection. Upon final determination of the tenant relocation fee, the City department responsible for arranging the payment for the temporary replacement relocation housing shall report the amount of the payment to the City Treasurer who shall bill the owner or party in interest by first class mail at the address shown on the City Assessor's records. The full payment of the tenant relocation fee shall be due and payable within 30 days of the mailing. Any portion of the tenant relocation fee remaining unpaid after 30 days from the date of billing shall be a debt subject to collection as provided by law. The owner or interested party shall also be in default to the City until the full amount has been paid.
Under Lansing Ch. 1460, § 1460.51, when the City's Office of Code Compliance declares a rental property unsafe and uninhabitable and arranges emergency temporary housing for displaced tenants, the property owner on record is required to reimburse the City for those relocation costs. The fee is capped at a Council-set daily rate and cannot cover more than 30 days of temporary housing, nor exceed what the City actually paid. If no valid insurance policy covering tenant relocation costs is in place and verified within 24 hours, the owner becomes financially responsible for the full reimbursable amount.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 1460.51, property owners whose buildings are declared unsafe and uninhabitable by Lansing's Office of Code Compliance may be billed by the City Treasurer for the cost of temporary housing provided to displaced tenants. Compliant operators typically maintain an active insurance policy that covers tenant relocation costs at least equal to the potential fee, and are prepared to provide proof of that coverage within 24 hours of a City request. Once billed, the full tenant relocation fee is due within 30 days; unpaid balances become a collectible debt and place the owner in default to the City.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 1460.51 of Lansing's rental property code establishes that when the City determines a rental unit is unsafe and uninhabitable and steps in to provide emergency temporary housing, tenants are entitled to that relocation assistance at the City's initial expense. The financial burden of reimbursing the City is placed on the property owner, not the tenant, so long as the conditions in § 1460.51(a) are met. Tenants who believe they are living in unsafe conditions may contact Lansing's Office of Code Compliance to request an inspection, and tenant-rights organizations can help explain what protections and processes apply under Chapter 1460.
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 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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