Code Enforcement

Rental Housing

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The purpose of the Rental Housing Division is to address the issue of substandard rental properties, promote greater compliance with health and safety standards and to preserve the quality of Fresno’s neighborhoods and available housing opportunities. The goal is to work with property owners to achieve compliance of health and safety code violations that are a threat to the occupant’s safety, structural integrity of the building, and have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhoods.

Rental Housing Improvement Program

Rental Housing Improvement Act 

Rental Housing Improvement Act Regulations (Updated December 2017) 

Blank Registration Form – English 

Blank Registration Form – Spanish 

Notice to Property Owners – English 

Notice to Property Owners – Spanish 

Notice to Property Owners – Hmong 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Sample Baseline Inspection Checklist 

Exemption Form – English 

Exemption Form – Spanish 

Sample Tenant Consent for Inspection/24 Hour Notice to Enter 

Proof of Correction Form 

Self-Certification Form (To Accompany Owner Provided Inspection Checklist) 

Self-Certification Form (With City Provided Interior Checklist)

Self-Certification Form (With City Provided Exterior Checklist)

REGISTRATION:  All residential rental properties are required to be registered and the registration updated whenever there is a change of ownership or contact information.  Free, online registration is encouraged by completing the registration information and submitting it via the City of Fresno’s Residential Rental Registry at rhr.fresno.gov.  A Blank Registration Form is also available.  All residential rental properties shall be registered, including those that may be considered exempt from the Rental Housing Improvement Program.   Registration is due no later than 30 days from receiving initial notice.

FEES:  There are no fees to register a rental property; however, failure to register will result in penalties. There is a $100 inspection fee per unit to be inspected.  Payment of the inspection fee is due at the time of the inspection, and a unit shall not pass inspection until the fee is paid.

DESCRIPTIONFEE/PENALTY
Registration$0
Failure to Register/Late RegistrationVaries, up to $1,000/Property
30 days late$100/Property
31-60 days late$200/Property
61-120 days late$500/Property
120+ days late$1,000/Property
10% interest/annum
Baseline Inspection$100/Unit
Optional Proof of Correction Form$0
Proof of Correction Random 10%$0
Optional Courtesy Re-inspection$50/Unit
Compliance Re-inspection$100/Unit
Exemption Application (Registration Required)$0
Self-Certification Program$0
Self-Certification Random 10%$100/Unit
Penalties for Making False StatementsVaries
1st Offence$100/Unit
2nd -Subsequent Offence(s)$250/Unit

EXEMPTIONS:  Owner-occupied, mobile home parks, vacant units, hotels, motels, licensed medical or care facilities, educational, religious and medical institutions are exempt from the Rental Housing Improvement Program.  All other residential rental properties must be registered for free; however, some properties are exempt from inspections. If the rental property or units within the rental property are less than 10 years old or undergo routine inspections from another governmental agency, an online Application for Exemption (for inspection) can be submitted once registration of the rental property is complete.

BASELINE INSPECTION:  All residential rental properties shall be subject to a baseline inspection, pursuant to a random sampling formula, to determine whether or not violations of Health and Safety Standards exist.  It is within the City’s sole discretion to determine the order in which it will conduct baseline inspections of residential rental units.

Multi-Family Rental Units
1 Unit100% Inspection
2-4 Units50% Inspection
5-15 Units25% Inspection
16-50 Units15% Inspection
51+ Units10% Inspection
Single-Family Rental Units
1 Home100% Inspection
2-9 Homes50% Inspection
10-20 Homes30% Inspection
21-49 Homes20% Inspection
50 Homes or More10% Inspection

Rental Registration

All residential rental properties are required to be registered and the registration updated whenever there is a change of ownership or contact information.  Free, online registration is preferred by completing the registration information and submitting it via the City of Fresno’s Residential Rental Registry below.  The Blank Registration Form is also available. All residential rental properties shall be registered, including those that may be occupied by family members not paying rent (although these may be considered exempt from inspections).  Registration is due no later than 30 days from receiving initial notice. Notice to Property Owners

Register Here!

For technical assistance call (559) 621-RENT (7368) or see Workshops for computer lab information

Rental Housing Improvement Act FAQs

Search for Registered Properties

Search for Properties

Anti-Slum Enforcement Team

The Anti-Slum Enforcement Team (ASET) is dedicated to battling urban blight and improving the lives of City residents by encouraging voluntary code compliance and initiating legal proceedings focusing on the worst violators of housing health and safety laws.  ASET will seek to obtain compliance through intensive and focused code enforcement efforts, including expedited and through civil litigation and potentially criminal prosecution of the worst offenders, but not burdening property owners who are complying with the law and providing safe and habitable housing.  The mission of ASET is to increase the stock of habitable rental housing by pursuing violators to obtain code compliance.  To see a listing of active, proposed, and completed ASET cases, see the ASET Status Report below:

LATEST ASET STATUS REPORT

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Administrative Hearing Appeal

Any person with a legal existing interest in a property, right or entitlement that is affected by a City order, citation, decision or determination subject to the appeal process provided under Chapter 1, Article 4 of the Fresno Municipal Code may request an appeal of that order, citation, decision or determination by submitting the “Administrative Hearing Appeal Form” provided.

Please note that per FMC section 1-407(b), a request for appeal must be submitted for consideration within 15 calendar days after the service of the order, citation, decision, or determination appealed from.  Failure to timely submit the request for appeal may result in rejection of the request.

Administrative Hearing Appeal Form – Online Version

Administrative Hearing Appeal Form – PDF Version 

Administrative Hearing Appeal Form – Microsoft Word Version 

Landlord and Tenant Resources

The information is provided for educational purposes only. For legal advice, you should contact an attorney or Central California Legal Services.

Attorney Referral & Information Service of the Fresno County Bar Assn.
2444 Main Street, Suite 125
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 264-0137

*ARS is a resource for landlords only.

Central California Legal Services, Inc.*
2115 Kern Street, Suite 1
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 570-1254

*CCLS is a resource for tenants only.

Tenant Resources

Eviction Process Overview

Important: If you have been served with the Complaint, you need to answer the Complaint within the time listed or you will be in default and cannot present a defense.

Links to court forms and general eviction information:

Links to information about living conditions and habitability:

Landlord Resources

Landlords must follow a series of steps in order to legally evict a tenant. For more information, see the Landlord Checklist

Important: landlords have a statutory duty to make the dwelling fit for purpose and to repair dilapidations.

Links to court forms and general eviction information:

Links to information about living conditions and habitability: