Discussion will center around a potential rental housing ordinance at Monday night’s Austin City Council work session.

According to a memo from Community Development Director Craig Hoium, council members will discuss the potential benefits of implementing a housing ordinance. The goal of such an action would be to reduce crime and keep buildings up to code and in better shape.

Council members will consider a draft of the potential ordinance at the meeting.

“The purpose of this chapter is … to ensure that rental housing in the city is decent, safe, and sanitary and is so operated and maintained as not to become a nuisance to the neighborhood or an influence that fosters blight and deterioration, or does not create a disincentive to reinvest in the community,” the draft states.

It goes on to say another purpose of the regulations would be to ensure residents may enjoy living in a safe, healthy and nuisance-free environment.

The draft states that all residential properties would need to be registered with the city by the property owner or manager. Registration would include all contact information for the owner and manager. The draft states registration would also require information on whether or not the owner conducts criminal background checks on tenants, whether leases exist and whether a Drug Free/Crime Free Lease Addendum exists.

Property owners would have to pay a yet-to-be-determined fee for registration.

Peter Grover of the Landlord Association previously stated the ordinance must not carry too high of a price tag or it will damage the local rental market rather than improve it as city officials hope.

Monday night’s work session will immediately follow the City Council’s regular meeting, which is at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Council members are also scheduled to discuss further budget reduction ideas at the work session.