City of Milwaukee - File #: 250302

• File #: 250302
• Version: 2
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: In Council-Passage
• File created: 6/3/2025
• In control: PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE
• Title: A substitute ordinance relating to tenant acknowledgment of fire safety code noncompliance in certain multifamily residential buildings.
• Sponsors: ALD. BURGELIS, ALD. TAYLOR, ALD. MOORE, ALD. SPIKER

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
11/13/2025	1	PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE	SUBSTITUTED; Minutes note: Ald. Burgelis moved substitution of the file with Proposed Substitute A. (Prevailed 5-0)	Pass	5:0
11/13/2025	2	PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE	RECOMMENDED FOR PASSAGE; Minutes note: The file was substituted with Proposed Substitute A and relabeled as Substitute 2. Appearing: Chief Aaron Lipski, MFD Commissioner Jezamil Arroyo-Vega, DNS Deputy Commissioner Michael Mazmanian, DNS There was discussion on fire inspections (frequency, capacity), disclosure requirement, non-compliance, enforcement and penalties, accountability for landlords, sharing of fire reports and inspections. Ald. Taylor, Moore, and Spiker added as cosponsors.	Pass	5:0
6/3/2025	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number
250302
Version
SUBSTITUTE 2
Reference

Sponsor
ALD. BURGELIS, TAYLOR, MOORE AND SPIKER
Title
A substitute ordinance relating to tenant acknowledgment of fire safety code noncompliance in certain multifamily residential buildings.
Section
200-33-17 am
214-7-c-1 am
214-28 cr
Analysis
This ordinance requires the lessor of a residential rental building with 3 or more dwelling units to disclose, in a clear standardized form, whether a rental dwelling unit or the structure in which it is located is equipped with required fire alarm and fire suppression systems such as sprinklers, is lawfully exempt and legally non-conforming, or not compliant and not exempt. The disclosure shall include the most recent fire inspection date and, if applicable, the expiration of any temporary occupancy permit related to fire and life-safety systems. Dwelling units in buildings with 16 or more units or 3 or more stories above grade operating under lawful exemptions shall be inspected at least once every 6 months. The department of neighborhood services may issue orders to vacate unsafe dwellings or those lacking valid permits, ensuring tenants are informed and protected when fire and life-safety standards are not met.
Body
The Mayor and Common Council of the City of Milwaukee do ordain as follows:

Part 1. Section 200-33-17 of the code is amended to read:

200-33. Fees.

17. FIRE INSPECTIONS. An annual fee shall be charged >>for each fire inspection performed at a property<<, equal to 1.5% of the city portion of the combined gross property tax levy, which is levied upon the [[inspection]] >>inspected<< property. The minimum fee shall be $100 and the maximum fee shall be $625. Fire inspection fees shall be charged against the real estate upon which the inspection takes place, shall be a lien upon the real estate and shall be assessed and collected as a special charge.

Part 2. Section 214-7-c-1 of the code is amended to read:

214-7. Fire Prevention

c. Fir...