Hudsonville

3275 Central Blvd., Hudsonville, MI 49426

Directions

🌐

City Website

www.hudsonville.org

Area Overview

Hudsonville is a small city in Ottawa County on the southwest edge of the Grand Rapids metro, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Grand Rapids along I-196. Population was 7,721 at the 2020 Census across roughly 4.1 square miles, with about 2,880 housing units ^[1]. Housing is predominantly owner-occupied single-family detached, mixed with newer subdivisions, a compact downtown core along Chicago Drive and Central Boulevard, and a growing apartment/townhome inventory near the Terra Square redevelopment.

Rental investors typically target Hudsonville for its top-rated public schools (Hudsonville Public Schools), proximity to Grand Rapids and Holland employers, and the agricultural-greenhouse heritage that drives steady demand for workforce housing — the city is still nicknamed ‘Michigan’s Salad Bowl.’ The city does not publish a separate short-term-rental ordinance; STR use is gated by the zoning use chart, while every rental unit (long-term or otherwise) must register with the city under the Rental Registration Ordinance and pass a property-maintenance inspection every two years before a rental occupancy certificate is issued ^[2]^[3].

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals VERIFY ZONING

Hudsonville does not publish a stand-alone short-term-rental ordinance. STR-style transient lodging is governed by the underlying zoning use chart ^[4], which in most West Michigan suburban cities limits hotel/motel/tourist-home use to commercial districts and does not list ‘short-term rental’ as a permitted residential use. Before underwriting any STR strategy, verify the parcel’s zoning district on the city zoning map and confirm with Planning & Zoning whether transient lodging is permitted by right or by special land use ^[5]. The Rental Registration Ordinance and biennial inspection requirement still apply if rental occupancy occurs ^[2].

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Long-term rentals are permitted in residential zoning districts subject to the city’s Rental Registration Ordinance ^[2]. Every owner must register the rental with the city before renting it out (or within 10 days of buying a pre-existing rental property). Properties are inspected under the 2009 International Property Maintenance Code ^[6]; a rental occupancy certificate is valid for two years from the inspection date. No permit cap. Fees: $90 per unit initial / $70 per unit re-inspection ^[7].

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Hudsonville does not publish a dedicated short-term-rental ordinance. Whether a specific parcel can be operated as an STR (Airbnb / VRBO / nightly or weekly rental) is determined by the city’s Zoning Ordinance use chart ^[4], which does not list ‘short-term rental’ as an enumerated residential use in the R-1, R-2, or R-3 districts. Hotel, motel, and tourist-home use is typically restricted to commercial districts.

For any specific property: look up the parcel’s zoning district on the current Zoning Map (3/19/26 edition) ^[5], then confirm with the Planning & Zoning Director whether STR use is permitted by right, by special land use, or prohibited at that address.

Open the current Zoning Map (PDF, 3/19/26)

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance (Municode)📧 Ask Zoning Director

2 Registration & Permit Process

Submit the Residential Rental Registration application (PDF) ^[8] to City Hall in person or by mail at 3275 Central Blvd., Hudsonville, MI 49426. The city does not currently accept rental registration through an online portal — this is a paper-form process handled by the City Clerk’s office (Jill Gruppen, ext. 1412) ^[9].

Required on the application: property address, owner name and contact, agent name (if different), total number of rental units, total number of buildings, and a signature from the person completing the form ^[8].

When to fileBefore renting, OR within 10 days of buying a pre-existing rental ^[3]

SubmissionIn person or by mail to City Hall

Certificate term2 years from inspection date ^[3]

Renewal cycleRe-inspection every 2 years (no separate annual renewal fee)

InspectorProfessional Code Inspectors of West Michigan (PCI), 616-667-8803 ^[8]

Inspection schedulingCity Hall x1477 or PCI directly

TransferabilityRe-register within 10 days of property purchase ^[3]

For investors buying an existing rental: the seller’s certificate does not auto-transfer with the property — the new owner must register the rental with the city within 10 days of closing.

📋 Rental Registration Application (PDF)📞 Call City Hall 🗺 Directions to City Hall

3 Fees & Penalties

The same fee schedule applies whether the unit is operated long-term or (where zoning permits) short-term — Hudsonville does not currently charge a separate STR premium ^[7]^[8].

Initial registration / inspection$90.00 per rental unit ^[8]

Re-inspection$70.00 per rental unit ^[8]

Owner/agent attendanceRequired for all inspections ^[8]

Certificate revocationCity may revoke the rental occupancy certificate for property-maintenance violations ^[3]

City Hall accepts cash, check, or credit card (3% convenience fee added by the Point & Pay processor) ^[10]. The FY 2025-2026 Fee Schedule (approved 6/10/2025) lists rental inspection fees alongside other inspection fees; the current Rental Registration Application form (effective 11/4/2025) reflects the per-unit amounts shown above.

📄 FY 2025-2026 Fee Schedule (PDF)📋 Rental Registration Application (PDF)

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

Inspections are conducted under the 2009 International Property Maintenance Code by Professional Code Inspectors of West Michigan (PCI) ^[6]^[8]. The published Rental Housing Inspection Checklist ^[6] covers the items the inspector will physically check at the property.

Major checklist categories include exterior property areas (swimming-pool fencing, address-number visibility); exterior structure (foundation, walls, stairways/decks, chimneys, handrails/guards, windows/doors with deadbolt locks at all dwelling-unit entries, basement-hatchway security); interior space (light, ventilation, occupancy, heating, plumbing, electrical); and fire safety ^[6]. Pools more than 24 inches deep must be enclosed by a 48-inch self-closing self-latching fence ^[6].

If a re-inspection is needed because items failed the first visit, the $70 re-inspection fee applies per rental unit ^[8].

📄 Rental Housing Inspection Checklist (PDF)📄 Fire Safety Requirements (PDF)📞 Call PCI (Inspector)

5 Operating Rules & General Ordinances

Hudsonville does not publish STR-specific operating rules (occupancy caps, quiet-hour overlays, local-agent mandates). General city ordinances apply to any rental — noise/nuisance enforcement runs through Chapter 15 of the city code (Nuisances) ^[11] and on-the-ground response is handled by the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, which contracts with the city for police services ^[12].

Overnight on-street parking: prohibited Nov 1 – Apr 1 between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. citywide for snow-plowing access. Tickets issued for violators ^[9].
Fireworks: Chapter 11 Article IV of the city code governs permitted dates and hours ^[13].
Trash and exterior storage: covered by the property-maintenance provisions checked at rental inspection ^[6].
Complaints / non-emergency: Ottawa County Sheriff non-emergency: 616-738-4000.

📄 Chapter 15 — Nuisances (Municode)📄 Fireworks Ordinance (Municode)📝 Report a Concern (City)

1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term residential rentals (lease terms of 30+ days) are permitted in Hudsonville’s residential zoning districts — single-family rentals in R-1/R-2/R-3, multi-family/townhome rentals where the district allows that housing type, mixed-use units above ground-floor commercial in the downtown core. The Zoning Ordinance use chart ^[4] governs what housing type is allowed at a given address; once the underlying residential use is permitted, an LTR is allowed subject only to the Rental Registration Ordinance and inspection ^[2].

For commercial- or industrial-zoned parcels: residential use must be permitted by the use chart (or grandfathered as a legal non-conforming use). Verify the parcel’s zoning district on the current Zoning Map ^[5] and confirm with the Planning & Zoning Director.

Open the current Zoning Map (PDF, 3/19/26)

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📄 Zoning Ordinance (Municode)📧 Ask Zoning Director

2 Registration & Permit Process

File the Residential Rental Registration form (PDF) ^[8] with the City Clerk at 3275 Central Blvd. before renting the property out — or within 10 days of purchasing a pre-existing rental ^[3]. This is a paper-form process; there is currently no online portal.

The application captures the property address, owner mailing/phone/email, agent details (if different), and the total number of units and buildings on the parcel. Owner or agent presence is required for the on-site inspection. Inspections are conducted by Professional Code Inspectors of West Michigan (PCI) — phone (616) 667-8803 ^[8].

SubmissionIn person or by mail to City Hall

Filing triggerBefore renting or within 10 days of buying an existing rental ^[3]

Certificate term2 years from inspection date ^[3]

Re-inspectionEvery 2 years on the same cycle

Schedule inspectionPCI (616) 667-8803 or City Hall x1477 ^[8]

For investors buying an existing rental: contact the City Clerk within 10 days of closing to re-register the property in the new owner’s name. The seller’s rental occupancy certificate does not automatically follow the deed ^[3].

📋 Rental Registration Application (PDF)📧 Email City Clerk 📞 Call City Hall

3 Fees & Penalties

Initial registration / inspection$90.00 per rental unit ^[8]

Re-inspection (failed items)$70.00 per rental unit ^[8]

Certificate revocation triggerMaintenance code violations may void the existing certificate ^[3]

Per-unit fee — a 4-unit small multi-family pays $360 initial registration, not $90 flat. Cash, check, or credit accepted at City Hall; credit cards incur a 3% Point & Pay convenience fee ^[10]. The FY 2025-2026 Fee Schedule ^[7] is the city’s published reference; the current Rental Registration Application form ^[8] reflects the per-unit dollar amounts you’ll actually pay.

📄 FY 2025-2026 Fee Schedule (PDF)📋 Rental Registration Application (PDF)

4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

Every Hudsonville rental unit must pass an inspection under the 2009 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) ^[6]^[8] before a rental occupancy certificate is issued, and again every two years to keep that certificate current ^[3]. Inspections are conducted by Professional Code Inspectors of West Michigan (PCI), the contract inspection firm the city uses for rental, building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing inspections ^[14].

The published Rental Housing Inspection Checklist ^[6] is the same document the inspector carries to the property. Pre-inspection, walk the unit against the checklist’s exterior, structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and fire-safety sections. Common reasons for re-inspection at LTRs: missing or non-functional deadbolt locks on dwelling-unit entry doors, missing smoke or carbon-monoxide detectors, peeling/chipping exterior paint, unsafe handrails or stair guards, and unfenced pools/hot tubs.

📄 Rental Inspection Checklist (PDF)📄 Fire Safety Requirements (PDF)🔗 PCI Forms (Hudsonville Office)📞 Call PCI

5 Tenant Rights & Eviction Resources

Hudsonville does not enact local landlord-tenant rules beyond the registration and inspection program — leases, security deposits, repairs, and the eviction process are all governed by Michigan state law (MCL 554.601 et seq. for security deposits and the Summary Proceedings Act for evictions) ^[15]. The State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan Legislature jointly publish A Practical Guide for Tenants & Landlords as the consumer-friendly summary of those statutes ^[15].

For Hudsonville residents, landlord-tenant disputes are filed in the 58th District Court (Ottawa County), 12120 Fillmore Street, West Olive, MI 49460 ^[16].

📄 Tenants & Landlords Guide (MI)⚖ 58th District Court (Ottawa)

Official Resources

Ordinances

Hudsonville City Code (Municode)

Full Code of Ordinances

Hudsonville Zoning Ordinance (Municode)

Use chart governs STR/LTR permission by district

Noise and nuisance enforcement

Chapter 15 — Nuisances

Chapter 11 Art. IV — Fireworks

Permitted dates and hours

Forms & Applications

Residential Rental Registration Application

Fillable PDF — submit by mail or in person (effective 11/4/2025)

Rental Housing Inspection Checklist

2009 IPMC — same checklist the inspector uses

Required at rental inspection

Fire Safety Requirements

FY 2025-2026 Fee Schedule

Approved 6/10/2025 — all city fees

Applications & Permits Page

All city forms in one place

Maps

Hudsonville Zoning Map (3/19/26)

District boundaries — use for zoning questions

Ottawa County GIS — Property Mapping

Parcels, utilities, sewer, tax info

Parcel data, owner, tax payment

miOttawa Property Search

Hudsonville Master Plan (7/16/25)

Long-range land-use vision

Portals & Lookups

🔍

BS&A Property Information

Hudsonville parcel/assessment lookup

🔍

PCI — Hudsonville Office (Forms)

Building / electrical / plumbing / mechanical permits

Contact & Directions

📞

City Hall

(616) 669-0200 — Clerk x1412, Inspection x1477

📞

Professional Code Inspectors (PCI)

(616) 667-8803 — rental inspector

📧

City Clerk — Jill Gruppen

jgruppen@hudsonville.org

📧

Planning & Zoning Director — Dan Strikwerda

dstrikwe@hudsonville.org