In a significant move to improve tenant safety and uphold health standards, John Garrett, an At-Large City Councilor in Greenfield, has proposed a new ordinance requiring landlords to register their rental units. This initiative comes in response to a citywide housing assessment led by fellow council member Sara Brown, along with Susan Worgaftik, the Housing Greenfield Coordinator, and Amy Cahillane, the Community and Economic Development Director.
Garrett explained that the housing count revealed discrepancies in the number of rental units, stating, “Units that used to be a two-family house got divided into three, four or five really small units.” The proposed rental registry aims to address long-standing issues regarding the accurate assessment of housing stock in the city.
Addressing Concerns Over Rental Standards
One of the primary concerns that Garrett has encountered during discussions about housing development is the potential for corporate landlords and investment firms to dominate the property market. He pointed out that “we have slumlords that get away with abusing people in the city.” The new ordinance aims to close gaps that have allowed such practices to continue unchecked.
If the ordinance is enacted, landlords owning more than six rental units will be required to have their properties inspected by the Health Department every five years. Additionally, they will need to pay a registration fee of $15 for each unit. Garrett emphasized that the ordinance is structured to assist responsible landlords, stating, “I try to be as generous as possible so folks who are not a giant landlord don’t get destroyed financially for making repairs.”
Landlords will also have a window of 90 days to rectify any issues identified during inspections. They will have the right to appeal any inspection findings they believe are incorrect through the Board of Health.
Community Support and Further Steps
Garrett presented the proposed registry to the Appointments and Ordinances Committee on Thursday evening, with Chief Assessor Christina Summers attending to address questions. Katherine Golub, chair of the committee, suggested that any health code violation fees imposed on landlords could be added to their property tax bills, a practice already in place for other fees in the city.
Summers confirmed, “There’s a fee associated with those income and expense reports that we send out every year,” indicating that the proposed rental registry could follow a similar process.
Feedback from the community has been varied. Garrett noted that while some landlords support the initiative, others view it as a fair measure. He encourages residents with questions about the proposal to reach out directly at 413-203-9453.
Summers praised Garrett’s efforts, stating, “This is a huge, momentous effort. I think it will really benefit a lot of things, and it’s really well-written.” She expressed confidence that the ordinance would positively impact the city.
As Greenfield moves forward with this initiative, the proposed rental registry stands as a proactive measure aimed at enhancing living conditions for tenants while holding landlords accountable for maintaining health and safety standards.
