St. Clair Shores — Ch. 8 Art. VII Inspection of Residential Rental Properties § 8-303
Registration of rental properties; application and inspection
Operative Text
(a) Owners of multi-residential rental premises and owners of nonowner occupied residences or rental premises shall register with the Department of Community Development all such premises owned by them. At the time of registration such owners shall also request an inspection of such premises. (b) Upon discovery of a failure to register or request an inspection, the city shall have the right to inspect the premises during regular inspection hours upon reasonable notice and require compliance with this article. Upon discovery of an owner's failure to request an inspection, the city shall have the authority to randomly inspect all registered premises during regular inspection hours upon reasonable notice and then required compliance with this article. Registration shall be made by the property owner or their designated agent in the office of the Building Division of the city prior to the inspection on a form provided by the Building Division which shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) The name and address of the owner and their designated agent upon whom a violation order or other process may lawfully be served. a. Owners who reside or who have a business address (a P.O. box does not qualify as a business address) outside of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw or St. Clair counties, must designate a local agent who shall be authorized to act as the owner's agent for any matters related to the owner's Certificate of Approval or other matters related to the property and which shall also include authorization to receive and respond to notices from the city and to receive service of process in any action or proceeding brought by the city against the owner. b. Any such agent who is designated by an owner must reside or have a business address (a P.O. box does not qualify as a business address) in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw or St. Clair counties and the owner must provide the city with local address and telephone number of the agent. c. The City shall send to the owner if owner's address is known, by first class mail, a copy of all notices served upon the local agent. (2) A description of the property, by street and number or otherwise, as will enable the building department to locate same. (3) Such other appropriate information as may be requested.
St. Clair Shores § 8-303 requires owners of multi-unit rental properties and non-owner-occupied residences to register with the Department of Community Development and simultaneously request an inspection of each property they own. If an owner fails to register or request an inspection, the city gains authority to inspect the premises on reasonable notice during regular hours and to demand compliance. Registration must be completed through the Building Division before any inspection takes place and must include owner and agent contact information, a property description, and any other information the city requests. Owners located outside the five-county local area must designate a local agent authorized to receive notices and legal process on their behalf.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under St. Clair Shores § 8-303, compliant rental property operators register every qualifying property with the Department of Community Development and request an inspection at the same time — before any inspection occurs. Operators whose primary address falls outside Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, or St. Clair counties designate a local agent with a physical business address in one of those counties, providing that agent's local address and phone number to the city. Keeping registration information current — including agent contact details — is part of ongoing compliance, since the city may randomly inspect all registered premises if any owner is found to have skipped the inspection-request requirement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
St. Clair Shores § 8-303 establishes a registration and inspection framework designed to ensure that rental properties meet city standards, which can be relevant to tenants living in multi-unit buildings or non-owner-occupied homes. If a landlord has not registered or requested an inspection as required, the city has authority to step in, inspect the property, and compel compliance — a process that may surface habitability or code issues affecting residents. Tenants who believe their landlord may not have complied with § 8-303 can contact the St. Clair Shores Department of Community Development or Building Division directly, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to understand what options may be available.
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.
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