MuniReg

As highlighted by Center for Community Progress, proactive rental inspection programs are gaining traction.
They move enforcement from complaint-driven to systematic and preventative, helping communities identify issues before they escalate.
The result:

Better housing conditions
Reduced health and safety risks
More consistent, equitable enforcement

This approach treats housing as a public health strategy, not just a code issue.

At the same time, it’s not without challenges. In several communities, landlords are pushing back on these requirements, raising concerns around cost, access, and implementation.
That’s where ex*****on becomes critical.

These programs require focus, funding, staffing, and infrastructure, and success often depends on clear expectations, thoughtful rollout, and leveraging the right partners early, especially before full resources are in place.

Because like any tool, the impact isn’t just in adopting it, it’s in how it’s implemented.

American Association of Code Enforcement National League of Cities ICMA - International City/County Management Association Urban Institute

What are Proactive Rental Inspection Programs?: Keeping Homes Occupied and Communities Healthy Proactive rental inspection programs protect tenant health and prevent future vacant properties. How local governments design effective programs and get results.

A new report shows fraudsters exploiting vacant properties and postal systems to commit identity theft.
We’ve highlighted similar fraud risks before, and it reinforces a key point: publicly sharing vacant property lists can unintentionally create a roadmap for bad actors.

Transparency matters, but so does protecting sensitive data. It’s time to rethink how vacant property information is managed and who truly needs access.

American Association of Code Enforcement National League of Cities ICMA - International City/County Management Association for Community Progress National Housing Conference

Fraudsters exploit vacant properties and postal services for identity theft The tutorial, analyzed by Flare, outlines a low-cost, difficult-to-detect workflow that begins with identifying vacant residential properties, often found by searching real estate listings for recently rented or long-term unoccupied homes.

HOA and condo fees are quickly becoming a major driver of housing affordability challenges. A recent Wall Street Journal report (paywall) notes sharp increases in monthly fees, adding yet another layer of financial strain for homeowners.

We’ve previously highlighted how rising insurance costs and repair/material expenses are compounding the issue. Together, these pressures can push properties toward distress, leading to foreclosure, vacancy, and eventual abandonment.

If you’re seeing these trends impact your community, let’s connect. We’re helping municipalities get ahead of these challenges before they escalate.

American Association of Code Enforcement National League of Cities ICMA - International City/County Management Association Center for Community Progress Urban Institute National Housing Conference

https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/housing-affordability-hoa-fees-d02902af?

Surging HOA Fees Are Pushing Homeowners to the Brink Monthly costs of homeowners associations have jumped 26% since 2019. Owners can also be hit with special fees for large repairs.

For communities focused on housing stability, the latest U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlights a critical reality: institutional investors are expanding their presence, but their ownership remains highly concentrated and relatively limited overall.

National League of Cities ICMA - International City/County Management Association Center for Community Progress National Housing Conference Urban Institute

U.S. GAO - Rental Housing: Institutional Investor Ownership of Single-Family Rental Homes Millions of homeowners defaulted on their mortgages in the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Institutional investors—companies that own many single-family...