Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program

Requirements:

Rental housing business licenses must be renewed annually using the Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program Annual Renewal Application, which can be accessed here.

Property Manager Authorization:

If a property management company handles business license renewals or communications, the owner must also submit a Local Agent Authorization Form, which can be downloaded here.

Qualifying property owners may opt into the Self-Certification Program, allowing them to inspect their own property using a City-provided checklist, saving time and reducing inspection fees. 

Requirements to Qualify for Self-Certification:

• No active violations of the Hesperia Municipal Code, California State Building Code, or Housing and Health Safety Code on the property.

 • No outstanding citations, inspection or abatement fees, special assessment, and/or liens associated with the property. 

• A current rental housing business license is maintained.

 NOTE: If the property is deemed eligible, the owner will receive a business license renewal notice along with instructions for completing the Self-Certification Packet. Refer to the steps below for details:

STEP 1: Complete the Self-Certification Affidavit

• Download the Self-Certification Affidavit here. 

•If your rental property contains more than one unit, you will only need 1 affidavit per property.

• By signing the Self-Certification Affidavit, the property owner is certifying that the property meets or exceeds the standards set forth in the Self-Certification Interior/Exterior Inspection Checklist.

STEP 2(a): Self-Certification Interior/Exterior Inspection Checklist/Instructions

• Download checklist here. 

 STEP 2(b): Photos

• You will need to take photos showing the full frontage (clearly displaying the property address) and full rear of the property.

• The city may request additional photographs or information at their sole discretion in order to properly self-certify the property.

STEP 3: Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program - Self-Certification Application:

• Once the inspection has been completed, you will then upload the signed Self-Certification Affidavit along with photos of the property to the Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program – Self Certification Application

• Access the Self-Certification Application here.

STEP 4: Issuance of Business License

• If the inspection confirms that the property meets or exceeds City requirements, the self-certification will be approved, and the renewed license will be issued promptly.

• Should the City review the self-certification and find deficiencies in quality of the photos, information provided or any other material fact, or deem the property to be a public nuisance, or not maintained according to the requirements of this code, the City shall, at its sole discretion, contact the owner or agent for more information, issue a Notice of Correction if necessary, or perform an inspection of the property to confirm that the property is in compliance with all requirements of the program.

• Any inspection performed by the City shall be paid for in full by the owner prior to issuance of a renewal license.

Kindly be advised that Self-Certification documentation is due within (30) days, along with the business license renewal fees. If the documentation is received after this timeframe/date, your property may be considered non-compliant and thereby removed from the Self-Certification Program. Upon removal from the program, the difference between the self-certification program fee and full annual program fee shall be due and payable. The City will consider deadline extensions for reasonable circumstances.

Property Owner Responsibilities

• Register all rental property(ies) by completing and submitting an online application

• Pay all rental housing related fees

• Coordinate exterior and interior inspections with tenant(s)

• Ensure rental unit(s) comply with City standards and codes

• Ensure that any violations have been corrected and/or repaired with all required permits, approvals, and inspections

• Schedule any re-inspections

• Renew business license annually

• If a property manager is utilized, ensure that they understand that the property owner is responsible for compliance, even if it may be a coordinated effort

• The City understands that property owners may utilize property management companies to manage their rental property(ies) as well as related correspondence and fees. In this situation, the City will require that the Property Owner complete the Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program – Local Agent Authorization Form. The form should be uploaded and submitted with the Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program - Annual Renewal Application. It should be noted that it is ultimately the property owner's responsibility to ensure compliance with all Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program components.

Tenant Responsibilities

• Work with the property owner to coordinate interior inspections and any re-inspections

• Review checklist with property owner prior to the interior inspection

• You can read the Rental Housing Regulations by clicking here.

• To find out what the inspection may include, click here for a checklist of the most commonly checked items.

Who Needs to Register?

• All rental properties in the City must register annually, including single-family and multi-unit properties.

Who is Exempt?

• Hotels/motels (short-term stays only)
• Religious, school-owned, or medical housing
• Mobile homes, RVs, or RV parks
• Owner-occupied homes renting out one room
• Junior ADUs within owner-occupied homes

What if my property is not eligible for Self-Certification?

• The City will notify the property owner that the property is not eligible for self-certification and full registration renewal fees will be due. The City will work with the property owner to schedule an interior and exterior inspection.

What if I have sold the property or I no longer rent out property? 

• If the rental property has been sold, or the property is owner occupied, please complete the Rental Housing Business License and Inspection Program – Change of Owner/Owner Occupied Application.
• The City will determine if the property is eligible for exemption and will contact the applicant if more information is needed. Currently vacant rental properties are not exempt from the program. 

What will be inspected?

• Code Enforcement will inspect the exterior of properties and a percentage of the interior of units. The basic inspection will include the following, but is not limited to:
• Property is maintained and kept in a neat, habitable condition, including the absence of trash and debris as defined by this code.
• All trash receptacles are emptied on a basis frequent enough to prevent spillage and a contract for disposal is maintained with the city’s franchise waste hauler. Trash receptacles and enclosures are maintained and free of defects.
• Graffiti, broken windows, fencing, and any other broken or unmaintained property component is repaired within 72 hours of notification to the owner or agent.
• Parking areas are maintained and adequate parking is provided to discourage street parking or off-property parking
• Common areas are maintained in a clean manner and residents are informed of rules designed to maintain the reasonable enjoyment of the property by all residents.
• Residential rental properties with four (4) or more residential rental units shall have a sign showing the owner or management company name, address, and phone number posted in the on-site manager unit or management office, if any, which shall be identified by a notice at the front entrance to the property and shall be posted in a manner approved by the director.
• Landscape is maintained, is not dead, and is kept in a neat, orderly manner to add to the enjoyment and aesthetics of the property, including the proper care and trimming of any trees or bushes on the property. The removal of landscape without replacement is not considered maintenance.
• Pools, spas and hot tubs are maintained pursuant to requirements of the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health.
• Play yards, playgrounds, and other amenities are maintained and free from trash, debris, and broken components.
• Mechanical components, including but not limited to, heating, screening, water and sewer or septic tank maintenance or service, and other required components is kept in working order.
• Sidewalks and walking paths are maintained and are in good repair.

Is anyone exempt?

Yes, there are some exceptions, they include:

• Housing accommodations in hotels, motels, inns, or tourist homes. This exception does not apply to single room occupancy hotels or hotels in which more than 51% of the rooms are offered for habitation for a duration of longer than 30 consecutive days.
• Housing accommodations in any hospital; convent, monastery, or other facility occupied exclusively by members of a religious order; extended medical care facility; asylum; on-campus fraternity or sorority houses; or on-campus housing accommodations owned, operated or managed by an institution of higher education, a high school, or an elementary school of occupancy by its students.
• Mobile homes and mobile home parks, or recreational vehicles as defined in Section 799.24 of the California Civil Code, or recreational vehicle parks.
• Single family homes, which are owner-occupied and in which a single room is rented to a single person.
• Junior Accessory Dwelling Units which are part of a single-family residence occupied by the owner. 

When will my property be inspected?

• Your property will be inspected during the assigned renewal month. This may be the month the fees are paid or several months after, depending on the volume of properties registered each month. Notice of your inspection will be provided to you. This is due to the large number of properties that will be included in the program which will require that the City stagger the business license renewals and inspections across the year to ensure that staff has time to complete all necessary inspections and issue licenses promptly and efficiently. This may mean that the first year your license may be valid for longer than a year, after that the license will be valid for one year and required to renew annually.

What happens if I have violations?

• If a property has violations, the Code Officer will write a notice to the property owner, listing the violations and allowing time to correct them.

I have a tenant who is causing me to fail my inspection, what can I do?

• Each property will have case by case issues during the inspection, it is best to communicate with the Code Enforcement Officer who can decide how best to handle the situation within the confines of the law.