HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Housing Commission will hold its regular meeting this afternoon with the rental inspection program on the list of agenda items. The commission has been working to revamp the program over the past year and is preparing to make some recommendations to the city council later this summer. The change was necessary after the state took most of the teeth out of the current inspection program by restricting the way the city inspects a rental property.

The discussion that will come during the meeting includes a requirement that a landlord notifies the city 48 hours before the unit is vacant in order for an inspection to occur.

If the landlord provides the city the required 48-hour notice and an inspection is unable to occur before the tenant moves in, a non-inspection certificate will be issued and the landlord will inform the tenant that an inspection was unable to be completed. The tenant may be able to request an inspection within 15 days of move-in.

The changes are still in draft form and the intent is to prepare a final draft based on Housing Commission discussion as well as any public input.

If all goes as planned, the Housing Commission and the council will meet in a study session in August to discuss a course of action on the program.

Today’s meeting of the Hutchinson Housing Commission begins at 4 p.m. in the Hutchinson city offices.