--- title: The Impact of Cleveland’s “Residents First” Legislation description: "Learn how the City of Cleveland's \"Residents First\" legislation impacts property owners with new requirements for rental properties and vacant buildings." image: https://blog.mansourgavin.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Home%20Icon%20on%20Multicolor%20Puzzle..jpeg --- [![MansourGavinLPA](https://blog.mansourgavin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MansourGavinLPA%20-Jan2018/Images/mg-logo.png?width=325&height=33&name=mg-logo.png "MansourGavinLPA")](http://mansourgavin.com/) - [ABOUT US](http://mansourgavin.com/about-us/) - [PROFESSIONALS](http://mansourgavin.com/professionals/) - [PRACTICE AREAS](http://mansourgavin.com/practice-areas/) - [BLOG](https://blog.mansourgavin.com) - [NEWS & EVENTS](http://mansourgavin.com/news-and-events/) - [CONTACT US](http://mansourgavin.com/contact-us/) - [ABOUT US](http://mansourgavin.com/about-us/) - [PROFESSIONALS](http://mansourgavin.com/professionals/) - [PRACTICE AREAS](http://mansourgavin.com/practice-areas/) - [BLOG](https://blog.mansourgavin.com) - [NEWS & EVENTS](http://mansourgavin.com/news-and-events/) - [CONTACT US](http://mansourgavin.com/contact-us/) # Blog [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.mansourgavin.com%2Fthe-impact-of-clevelands-residents-first-legislation%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.mansourgavin.com%2Fthe-impact-of-clevelands-residents-first-legislation%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.mansourgavin.com%2Fthe-impact-of-clevelands-residents-first-legislation%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.mansourgavin.com%2Fthe-impact-of-clevelands-residents-first-legislation%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=The%20Impact%20of%20Cleveland%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9CResidents%20First%E2%80%9D%20Legislation) # The Impact of Cleveland’s “Residents First” Legislation [Real Estate and Land Use](https://blog.mansourgavin.com/tag/real-estate-and-land-use) July 01, 2025 | 10: 48 AM By [Katie Weber](https://mansourgavin.com/people/kathryn-e-weber/) On February 6, 2024, the City of Cleveland passed a new group of local housing laws called **[“Residents First”](https://www.clevelandohio.gov/residents/codes-ordinances/residents-first)**. The purpose of this legislation is to combat the effects of out-of-state property owners neglecting property in the City of Cleveland. However, all property owners, whether local or out-of-state, are subject to the requirements set forth in this legislation. Over the past year and a half since this legislation has been passed, we have seen numerous property owners get tripped up by these new requirements. Below is a summary of these new requirements that all property owners in the City of Cleveland should be aware of. **Rental Registration:** Residential rental properties are required to have a Rental Registration Certificate. The following requirements have been added: - Property owners who reside outside of Cuyahoga County must designate a local agent in charge who resides in Cuyahoga County. This local agent will be held personally liable for any violations on the property. - Lead Safe Certification is required. - All outstanding fees or bills owed to the City must be paid in full. - Any open code violations must be corrected. - Property taxes must be current. - Properties with more than four rental units must also submit a current statement from utility providers evidencing that the account is current, and the HVAC system is required to be inspected annually. **Vacant Building Registry:** All vacant buildings must be added to the Vacant Building Registry and updated annually unless the building is no longer vacant. Pre-transfer inspections are now required for all vacant properties. - Residential Property: if the pre-transfer inspection reveals violations, the buyer has six months to correct them. - Commercial Property: A cash bond is required if the property has code violations, board-ups, or complaints within the past three years. For property under 10,000 sq. ft., the bond is $5,000, and for property over 10,000 sq. ft., the bond is $15,000. **Civil Tickets:** In addition to criminal penalties, the City can now issue civil tickets for building and housing violations. These tickets: - Can be up to $200 per infraction. - May be assessed to the property tax duplicate if unpaid. - Can be appealed to the Director of Building and Housing and then to the Board of Building Standards. **Certificate of Disclosure:** All property transfers must now include a condition disclosure and zoning information to buyers. **Parking garages:** Parking garages are now required to be inspected every five years.   The City of Cleveland has become increasingly proactive in enforcing building and housing violations. If you receive a violation notice, it’s essential to respond promptly to prevent it from escalating into a criminal matter. Please contact Mansour Gavin’s **[Real Estate group](https://mansourgavin.com/practice-area/real-estate-and-land-use/)** if you receive a violation notice or have questions about these or other real estate matters. Our team can guide you through the appeal process and help bring your property into compliance.     - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Related Articles #### [Due Diligence Pitfalls That Can Derail an Ohio Real Estate Deal](https://blog.mansourgavin.com/due-diligence-pitfalls-that-can-derail-an-ohio-real-estate-deal) [Real Estate and Land Use](https://blog.mansourgavin.com/tag/real-estate-and-land-use) April 02, 2026 | 09: 58 AM Real estate transactions rarely fail because of a single dramatic event. More often, deals unravel due to overlooked details discovered too late—or not discovered at all—during due diligence. 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