Owners of rented houses, townhomes and duplexes in Allen will start getting letters from the city in November telling them to register each property under a new single-family rental program. The first registrations are due Jan. 31, 2027.
The City Council created the program on Oct. 13, voting 6-0 to adopt the ordinance and 6-0 on a resolution setting its fees, according to draft minutes included in the packet for Tuesday's council meeting. One resident spoke against the fee before that vote, the minutes show. The city laid out the timeline in a meeting recap posted Oct. 23.
What owners will pay
Registration costs $150 per rental unit each year under the fee schedule approved with the program. A late registration adds $50, and reinspections cost $25 per violation. The agenda memo says the fee was built to recover the full cost of running the program and projects about $300,000 in revenue this budget year.
Registrations expire Dec. 31 and must be renewed every year. An owner with rentals at more than one location needs a separate registration for each, while a duplex whose two units share an owner needs only one, the ordinance says. Violations can bring a fine of up to $500 per offense.
Inspections and tenant paperwork
The city plans routine exterior inspections, inspections when complaints come in, and follow-up with owners about any violations it finds. The ordinance also requires owners to hand each new tenant a city program summary, a list of city and community contacts and fair housing information when a lease is signed.
Owners must inspect each home with the tenant whenever occupancy changes and at least once a year, give the tenant a copy of the written report and keep those reports for three years.
