Bulletin: WI2010001

Dear Associates:

Effective January 1, 2010, the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services has two new programs that it will be administering and that will affect some properties located in the City of Milwaukee.

The first of these is the Residential Rental Inspection Program, which requires all properties with 2 or more rental (meaning non-owner occupied) units to pay an inspection fee of $85/unit and to obtain an RRI Inspection Certificate which will be good for 4 years unless revoked. The fee for buildings of more than 9 units is going to be based on an inspection of an undisclosed number of units, so the fee cannot be determined from the ordinance.

The second program is the registration and maintenance requirements imposed by Milwaukee's new Vacant Building Code ordinance. This program requires every owner of a building that is vacant for 30 days or more to register that building and pay a registration fee of $250 to $500 for each 6-month period that the property is vacant. Unpaid fees will be added to the tax roll at the end of the year.

It is important to note that these fees are imposed on a current owner, and are not dependant on any sale of the property.

For more information on these programs, visit the DNS website at http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/display/router.asp?docid=316 or call the DNS at 414-286-8824."

Accordingly, until we can get more information on how the programs are going to work and how a title company can obtain information on the charges (if any), you should insert the following two exceptions in to every commitment for property located in the City of Milwaukee:

"This commitment does not insure against charges imposed by the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services Residential Rental Inspection Program. This exception will be removed upon receipt of satisfactory proof that the property is not located in the target areas or upon delivery of an acceptable RRI Inspection Certificate that is currently in full force and effect. For more information, please view http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/display/router.asp?docid=316 or call the DNS at 414-286-8824."

"This commitment does not insure against charges imposed by the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services Vacant Building Code Registration and Maintenance program. This exception will be removed upon receipt of satisfactory proof that the property has been occupied at all times during the current calendar year; or that the property is exempt from compliance; or that the property is or was properly registered with all fees paid during any period of vacancy and that all maintenance requirements were complied with during such period. For more information, please view http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/display/router.asp?docid=316 or call the DNS at 414-286-8824."

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