AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13, Chapter 21, relative to municipal rental property registries.
SB1008 authorizes Tennessee municipalities, including counties with metropolitan government, to create and enforce rental property registries for residential rental dwelling units within their jurisdictions. The registry must collect basic identifying information about each rental property, the owner, any property manager, the number of rental units, and verification that the property complies with applicable building, zoning, health, and safety requirements. Owners of rental units in municipalities that adopt a registry would be required to register annually, and municipalities could charge a reasonable administrative fee.
The bill also allows municipalities to impose civil penalties or other legal action for failure to register, while exempting certain owner-occupied properties with fewer than two rented units and properties owned by governmental or quasi-governmental entities. Municipalities that adopt a registry must integrate it into code enforcement, may inspect registered properties consistent with law, and must provide annual reports to the Department of Economic and Community Development on registrations, violations, and effectiveness. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2025.
This bill adds a new part to Title 13, Chapter 21 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, creating express statutory authority for local governments to establish rental property registries and related enforcement mechanisms. It does not mandate a registry statewide, but it permits municipalities to adopt one and sets minimum content, registration, inspection, fee, confidentiality, and reporting rules. It also clarifies that the new part supplements, rather than preempts, existing state law and regulations, preserving other housing, code enforcement, and landlord-tenant provisions.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral to supportive of local housing oversight. The bill is framed as a tool to improve compliance with housing, health, and safety standards and to help municipalities monitor rental properties more effectively. Because no transcripts or vote history are provided, there is no documented opposition or formal support to gauge broader legislative sentiment.
The main potential points of contention are local regulatory authority, landlord compliance burdens, and privacy concerns. Property owners may object to annual registration, fees, inspections, and the possibility of civil penalties for noncompliance, while municipalities may favor the added enforcement tools. The bill attempts to address privacy concerns by making non-sensitive registry information public while protecting proprietary or personal information as confidential. Another possible issue is the scope of exemptions, particularly for owner-occupied properties renting fewer than two units and for government-owned properties.