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Public comments after referendum show split on rental-housing inspections; proponents, landlords press council for next steps
Summary
Speakers at public comment responded to a voter-approved rental-housing referendum, with proponents urging the council to act and landlord representatives warning of unintended consequences; council members noted the referendum outcome is non-binding.
Speakers at the public-comment period addressed the council about a recent city referendum on rental-housing inspections and maintenance, the ballot measure voters approved by a city-wide margin.
Why it matters: The referendum signals voter interest in changes to how the city handles rental-housing safety and inspections; proponents urged the council to adopt an ordinance or other measures, while landlord representatives said existing complaint-driven code enforcement should be used rather than new mandates.
Trish Santos, who identified herself as “a member of Q Ryle,” thanked voters and said the ballot effort grew from a small group into a broader constituency: “We didn't work for over 2 years ... we really believe in it. I'm here to let you know that we won't just sit aside now that it's time for the real work to start for the residents of Quincy,” she told the council.
Speakers on the other side said enforcement and housing stock are the core problems. David Arndt, who identified himself as current board president of the Quincy Landlord Rental Association, said he is “not anti-inspection nor ... pro slumlord” but argued ‘‘the current complaint driven system is adequate’’ and that existing codes can be enforced now. He also raised concerns that aggressive enforcement could increase homelessness when problem properties are vacated.
Colin Caravan told the council the city lacks sufficient housing stock and urged solutions that create more housing rather than only stricter enforcement. A Cureisle cofounder, Bridal Hills, summarized vote totals presented to the council: “Cureisle overwhelmingly passed with a super majority ... of over 60% — 4,099 to 2,669,” and gave ward-level breakdowns she said were drawn from available data.
At the meeting’s close, Alderman Uselak noted the referendum that appeared on the ballot is non-binding, and reminded residents and landlords that “this was non-binding,” meaning no ordinance or immediate enforcement change was enacted by the vote.
Discussion and next steps: Proponents repeatedly offered to work with the city on drafting an ordinance; landlords and some aldermen urged caution and data-driven approaches. The council did not take immediate legislative action on the floor; members said they would discuss options in committee and during the budget process.
The public-comment segment closed after five speakers addressed that item; no formal ordinance or policy change was introduced at the meeting.
