After more than 7 years of planning, the City of Lima is launching a new process to take stock of rental properties within the city. The city council passed the legislation back in January, and the rental housing unit registration process is up and running. Any property owner who has rental units is required to register those units with the city. Whether it is one or 50 units, they must be registered. City officials say that 56% of the housing in the city is rental property. The new registration will provide information about the properties that will help keep track of the condition and ownership of the units.

Under Lima 3rd Ward Carla Thompson's proposal, a yearly license would need to be obtained, inspections would be done on rental properties and would have to be passed once every 3 years or when a new tenant is found. The committee says this is not a program to hurt landlords working in good faith, but a way to improve the lives of the people living in Lima.