Council Adopts New Fire-Safety Disclosure Ordinance to Protect Renters

The Milwaukee Common Council today (Tuesday, November 25), unanimously adopted a new fire-safety disclosure ordinance (File #250302) that will require landlords of multifamily buildings to provide tenants with clear, standardized information about fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and inspection dates.

Under the ordinance, all residential buildings with three or more units must disclose whether they are fully compliant, legally exempt, or not compliant with required fire-safety systems. Larger or multistory buildings operating under exemptions will now require semiannual inspections. The Department of Neighborhood Services is also empowered to issue vacate orders for unsafe dwellings.

Alderman Peter Burgelis, who authored the ordinance co-sponsored by the entire Council, looks forward to the positive impact and empowerment that will be provided to renters citywide. “It’s rare for the entire Council to co-sponsor a file, and that unity speaks to just how urgent this issue is. For 51 years, landlords have benefited from a loophole that kept tenants in the dark. Today, the Council stood shoulder to shoulder to close it. While we wait for the state to fix gaps in the fire code, Milwaukee has acted decisively to protect our residents now. Renters deserve the truth about the safety of their homes BEFORE they move in, not during an emergency,” the Alderman noted.

The ordinance was previously approved by the Public Safety & Health Committee unanimously before being adopted by the full Common Council.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.