Most states and their respective counties have exceptions to residency requirements, allowing the rental owner or manager to live anywhere. However, there are some states and cities that mandate that either a property manager or owner must live within a certain distance of the rental.
States and Counties with Residency Requirements
The following are a few examples of some states or counties that have laws requiring either a property manager or owner to live within a certain distance of the rental. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and other counties or states may have similar laws or requirements:
Illinois
Cook County: Property managers or owners of rental properties with 6 or more units must abide by the RTLO (Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance) issued June 1, 2021
Ohio
Cuyahoga County: If the owner is a natural person and a resident of Cuyahoga County or a contiguous county, then the Local Agent in Charge may be the owner. Otherwise, the Local Agent in Charge shall be a natural person who resides within Cuyahoga County.
Hawaii
City of Honolulu: Property managers or owners of rental properties with 3 or more units must have a representative who lives on the island of Oahu.
California
California law 25 CCR § 42 states "A manager, janitor, housekeeper, or other responsible person shall reside upon the premises and shall have charge of every apartment house in which there are 16 or more apartments"
Nevada
NRS 118A.260 (b) states "A telephone number at which a responsible person who resides in the county or within 60 miles of where the premises are located may be called in case of emergency."
If you are a property owner, manager, agent, or representative, it is important to be aware of the residency requirements in your state and/or county. By taking steps to comply with the law, you can help to ensure that your tenants have a safe and well-maintained place to live.
*Hemlane takes all available steps to make sure that the data in our articles up as up to date as possible, and any available sources are listed below per state, however local law and regulations can change frequently, and so we always recommend confirming the information provided is the most up to date for your state our county. Hemlane cannot provide any legal advice and information in the above article should not be perceived as such.
Sources: Ohio (Cuyahoga County), Hawaii, Nevada, California, Illinois (Cook County),
keywords: distance, required to live, nearby, close, close by, near to property, live nearby