St. Clair Shores — Ch. 8 Art. VII Inspection of Residential Rental Properties § 8-304
Certificate of approval required
Operative Text
Owners of multi-residential premises and/or nonowner occupied residential premises, (including, but necessarily not limited to, single family homes, duplexes, a duplex unit, and condominiums), shall obtain a certificate of approval for the rental premises every three years. After three years, no owner shall permit occupancy of its rental premises unless such owner has first obtained a certificate of approval of the premises.
Under St. Clair Shores Ch. 8 Art. VII § 8-304, owners of multi-residential and non-owner-occupied residential rental properties — including single-family homes, duplexes, and condominiums — are required to obtain a certificate of approval for their rental premises on a three-year renewal cycle. Once the three-year period has elapsed, a rental unit may not be lawfully occupied unless a valid certificate of approval is in place. This requirement applies broadly across property types, not just larger apartment buildings.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Section 8-304 of the St. Clair Shores rental property code places the responsibility squarely on property owners to proactively obtain and renew a certificate of approval every three years for each covered rental premises. Compliant operators typically track renewal deadlines, schedule required inspections well in advance, and ensure a current certificate is secured before any tenant occupancy begins or continues past the expiration date. Allowing a tenant to occupy a unit without a valid certificate of approval is itself a violation of § 8-304, regardless of the lease terms.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 8-304 of the St. Clair Shores Code, tenants living in covered rental properties have an interest in knowing whether their landlord holds a current certificate of approval for the premises. If a certificate has lapsed or was never obtained, that may constitute a code violation that tenants can raise with the appropriate St. Clair Shores municipal or code enforcement office. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Michigan local housing codes can help explain what options may be available when a landlord is out of compliance with this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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