The council spent most of the night on one question: Should voters weigh in on a landlord licensing/registry proposal by way of a referendum this March?
Highlights you’ll hear:
- “This is about asking the people.” Multiple members pushed to put a policy question on the ballot and hold public sessions to shape the details with tenants, landlords and community groups.
- “Do we really need another registry?” A counterpoint argued the city can already find owners through tax and LLC records — why add bureaucracy?
- “If we can license scrap dealers, why not rentals?” Others urged hard data, consistency and letting voters decide after 20 years of debate.
- Lived experience from both sides: One member who is also a landlord called for basic habitability standards and accountability for tenants and landlords.
- Are HUD rules too lax — or are local inspections stricter? A back-and-forth over what actually gets enforced here.
- Public comment got real. Residents shared stories of fees, neglect, and retaliation —and asked the council to adopt a registry with inspections to protect renters and distinguish responsible landlords.
If you rent, own, manage or care about safe housing, this one’s worth a watch — and yes, the council wants people at the upcoming sessions to help write the language before March.
