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CITY DEPARTMENTS : NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND INSPECTIONS : CODE ENFORCEMENT

NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTION PROGRAM (NIP)

Neighborhood Inspection Program (NIP) is the name given to the City's systematic exterior inspection of every property in designated target areas of the City. The inspections are made from late April through October - weather permitting. Every property inspected must be brought into compliance with the City's minimum property standards. The standard inspection checklist includes:

  • Street numbers
  • Exterior walls
  • Roof and chimney
  • Exterior eaves and trim
  • Gutters and downspouts
  • Porches, decks, and jump platforms
  • Stairs, handrails, and guardrails
  • Doors
  • Windows, storms, and screens
  • Exterior lighting
  • Garbage or trash containers
  • Foundation
  • Exits
  • Garages, fences, and sheds
  • Paved areas/parking areas
  • Landscaping, grass, and weeds
  • Yard areas
  • Graffiti

For more information on the Neighborhood Inspection Program call the Department of Neighborhood Services and Inspections at (262) 653-4263.

RENT WITHHOLDING PROGRAM

Rent Withholding is a program which allows tenants to pay their monthly rent directly to the City of Kenosha if their landlord has failed to make code-required repairs ordered by the City. The City holds the rent in an escrow account until the landlord has completed all the repairs to the City's satisfaction. Once the repairs are completed, the tenant is notified to resume paying their rent to the landlord and the escrow funds less expenses are returned to the landlord.

Tenants may apply for participation in the program under the following conditions:

  • The landlord fails to make the required repairs
  • The repairs are not exterior repairs during the winter months
  • The tenant is current on their rent
  • The tenant has not been served a 5-day or 14-day notice to vacate the unit
  • The tenant or a guest did not cause the damage(s)

Applications for the rent withholding program are available at the Department of Neighborhood Services and Inspections, Room 100 of the Municipal Building, 625 52nd Street.

APPEALS

Property owners or occupants may appeal any Order To Repair issued by a Code Official. The appeal process is as follows:

  • The petitioner must complete an appeal form, provide a written statement supporting his/her appeal, and pay a $25 processing fee within twenty (20) days of the Order To Repair being served.
  • The appeal, along with a recommendation from the Code Official is submitted to the Board of Housing Appeals at its regular monthly meeting.
  • The Board of Housing Appeals may sustain, modify, or withdraw an Order To Repair.
  • Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Board of Housing Appeals may seek further relief therefrom in any court of competent jurisdiction, as provided by the laws of Wisconsin.