Public commenters and council urge quick start for Schenectady housing task force, application due Sept. 25

Public commenters at the Schenectady City Council meeting on Sept. 22 urged the council to accelerate work on tenant protections and housing insecurity, and Councilmember Carmel Patrick outlined a tight schedule for the city’s new housing task force.

Sean Radigan, a member of the public, urged the council not to "further delay the discussion around housing insecurity" and specifically asked the council to pursue good-cause eviction protections and other tenant safeguards. Radigan criticized what he described as a ceremonial first meeting for the task force and repeated a call for quicker, substantive action.

In response, Councilmember Carmel Patrick said a task force application is available on the city website and can also be picked up at the city clerk’s office. Patrick said the deadline to submit applications is Sept. 25 and that, because of legislation creating the task force, a first meeting must occur by Oct. 5; she said the council will review applications on Sept. 29. Patrick described the application as short and said the quick turnaround stems from the legislative timing.

The transcript records these statements as public comment and administrative direction to staff (make the application available and convene the task force by the statutory deadline). No formal vote on policy protections (for example, on good-cause eviction) was recorded at this meeting.