LEWISTON — A committee studying a rental registration system in the city “went beyond” its initial scope and created a comprehensive housing safety program, according to city officials.

The year-long committee process resulted in a final report, shared Tuesday with the City Council, that would establish a non-fee-based registry for landlords, among a list of other goals.

City Administrator Ed Barrett presented the group’s recommendations during a workshop, adding that a number of the key items are already in the works.

While local housing advocates have praised the extensive work by the committee, the council has also taken the report seriously. A new fire inspector position, recommended in the report, was built into next year’s budget.

Councilor Jim Lysen said he is optimistic that even without a fee-based system, the extra staff person will allow the city to “get a good start” on the committee’s recommendations.

Barrett said the extra fire inspector position will be filled in October, when the city can continue housing inspections with no pauses. They are done as fire engine companies can get to them, he said.

Among the goals laid out by the committee is to inspect every multi-unit building in the city every three years.

Barrett said the rental registration program will require a new ordinance, as well as a new clerk position for handling the added paperwork, and setting up notices for registration. He said the city is shooting for a January rollout, with a landlord registration deadline sometime in March.

According to the committee’s recommendations, landlords and property management companies who do not register within the 60-day period are “publicly listed as ‘unregistered’ and incur a fine to be determined by the city for the period of time that they remain unregistered.”

Barrett said the committee has discussed incentives for landlords to register.

The aim of the program is to collect important and up-to-date contact information from property owners. The city initially discussed a fee-based system like Portland’s, but the committee ultimately decided against it.

Barrett said the city will make the registry data available to all city departments, and, based on other committee recommendation, at some point make the data available to the public.

Craig Saddlemire, coordinator of the Raise-Op Housing Cooperative in Lewiston, said Tuesday that having that data will “improve communication, transparency, and access to basic info that the city needs.”

He said when property owners do not know who their neighbors are, and the city does not know who owns a building, “it creates problems.”

Amy Smith, a Lewiston landlord who served on the committee, called it “great progress,” adding that its members want to see the momentum continue. She said the committee included a “good cross section” of the community, and created more of “a partnership approach between everyone involved in housing.”

The committee’s report also recommends improved technology for city staff, including tablets for code officers working in the field in order to immediately send results to a city database.

For landlords, it recommends a “simplified” inspection checklist, and possible education on identifying lead, as well as recommending renter training.

Barrett said he is working on an implementation schedule, which he hopes to have by next week. The council will then be asked to support a permanent housing committee to continue to monitor issues in the city.