Newport News Expands Rental Inspection Program to Lower Midtown
Council unanimously approves new inspection district covering 7,400 housing units
The Newport News City Council voted unanimously on August 12 to adopt an ordinance expanding the city’s rental inspection program to an area in lower Midtown. The measure passed 7-0 and will take effect on January 1, 2026.
Council members praised the program’s previous impact in South Newport News and voiced support for extending its protections to additional neighborhoods in Midtown, with further expansion of the program possible in the future.
Focus on lower Midtown
The newly approved ordinance creates Rental Inspection District 4, encompassing Neighborhood Statistical Area 8. The district includes approximately 7,420 residential units, with an estimated 2,778 rental properties—about 37 percent of the total. The area contains 35 apartment complexes totaling around 1,000 units and has generated a significant share of maintenance complaints to Codes Compliance.
Under the program, inspectors will evaluate rental housing for compliance with building safety standards. Properties found in good condition can receive multi-year exemptions from further inspections, while those with violations will be subject to follow-up until conditions are corrected.
Rental Inspection Districts
Newport News first launched its rental inspection districts in 2016, targeting parts of South Newport News where illegal multi-family occupancy and deteriorating homes were a concern. Since then, the program has been credited with raising property standards and improving housing conditions for tenants.
City staff periodically review neighborhood conditions to determine where inspections are most needed. Analyses conducted in 2020 and again in 2025 identified property challenges in several apartment communities near Jefferson Avenue, J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, and Harpersville Road.
Virginia law, under Code of Virginia § 36-105.1:1, allows local governments to establish rental inspection districts if housing conditions threaten health, safety, or welfare. To qualify, neighborhoods must show signs of deterioration or risk of decline, and inspections must be deemed necessary to maintain safe and sanitary living conditions.
A Newport News contributor used AI tools and these sources: