Wilmington committee advances rent-stabilization ordinance, setting up full‑council vote

The Wilmington City Council’s Community Development and Urban Planning Committee on May 8 voted to release substitute No. 1 to Ordinance 25‑06, a rent‑stabilization measure sponsored by Councilmember Shanae Darby, sending the proposal to the full City Council for consideration.

Darby, the ordinance sponsor, said the draft does not freeze rents but seeks to limit “excessive” increases while preserving mechanisms for landlords to request higher raises. "This ordinance does not stop rent increases and simply says you cannot increase rent excessively," she said during the committee discussion.

The measure matters because Wilmington is a majority‑renter city and committee members and public speakers said residents face frequent, often large rent hikes that contribute to housing instability. The substitute includes a set of exemptions — affordable or government‑subsidized housing,…