City of Cedar Rapids

Rental Fee Structure Updates

The City of Cedar Rapids currently requires landlords to pay an annual Rental Unit Registration fee which helps cover approximately 38 percent of regular rental inspections and program costs. Cedar Rapids has one of the lowest fee requirements in the state for rental housing programs. Registered landlords have received information on the following changes coming to the City's Rental Unit Registration fees. These changes apply to landlords who rent, lease, or let property.

We will be adjusting the annual fee to continue to provide professional housing and safety inspections.  This adjustment will result in 50 percent of the total cost of program administration being provided by fees charged to rental business owners or managers.  There has not been a rate increase for the rental housing program since July 1, 2018.

We have included a graph below that illustrates how the fee may change, depending on the number of properties you own.

Examples:

• CURRENT annual fee for any single-family unit or condominium is $38 annually.
• NEW annual fee for any single-family unit or condominium will be $50 This is the equivalent of an additional $12 per year, or an additional $1 per month.
• CURRENT annual fee for a duplex is $38 annually.
• NEW annual fee for a duplex will be $60 annually. This is the equivalent of $1.83 per month for the duplex, or an additional 92 cents per month per unit in the duplex.
• CURRENT annual fee for one, multi-family structure with 4 units = $70
  ($30 annual fee, plus $10 for each of the four units)
• NEW annual fee for one multi-family structure with 4 units = $94
  ($42 annual fee, plus $13 for each of the four units). This is the equivalent of an additional $24 per year for the entire 4-unit structure, or an additional 50 cents per month per unit.

Budgeting

The Building Services Department has a comprehensive plan in place for the rental housing program that considers the costs of providing services and the necessary fee structure to maintain 50 percent of the costs of program administration.  The proposed rate model would provide at least 50 percent of actual costs and projected costs through Fiscal Year 2026.

Open Houses

If you have any questions on the new fee structure or would like to receive an estimate of your new rental unit registration fees, the City’s Building Services Department is offering three Open Houses to address questions and hear from property owners:

• Monday, February 13 ∙ 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, February 14 ∙ Noon – 1:30 p.m.
• Friday, February 17 ∙ 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Open houses will be held at the City Services Center, Five Seasons Conference Room (1^st Floor), which is located at 500 15^th Avenue SW.  Please come at your convenience; there is no formal presentation.

There will be a virtual Open House option available through Zoom.  We will conduct a presentation beginning at 2:00 p.m. followed by questions and answers.

Please contact our office if you have any questions.  We may be reached at (319) 286-5197.


Inspection Fees (Current Fees - Effective July 1, 2018)
Housing Fees (Table H1-A)

Please note that the City of Cedar Rapids requires all rental housing have a Certificate of Compliance in order to be legally occupied. This Certificate is issued when the property is in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Housing Code and when all registration and inspection charges related to the property have been paid in full.