Advocate urges tenant seats on housing task force be filled by renters, not advocates

Ellie Pepper told the Schenectady City Council Monday that two designated tenant seats on the city's housing stability task force must be filled by current tenants, not tenant advocates. "The tenant seats must go to people who are living the realities of our rental housing system," Pepper said during the public-comment period addressing the legislative agenda. She added the task force will deliberate on good-cause eviction and that it is therefore essential that impacted renters sit on the panel. Pepper also said she appreciated that the council had removed developers from consideration for the task force and argued that appointees should reside in the city. "Decision about our city's housing policies must be made by the people who are directly invested in and impacted by them, our residents," she said. On the council docket, item number 5 was listed as a resolution modifying Resolution 2025-138 to establish membership criteria and reporting requirements for the city housing stability task force; the item carried an objection on consent in committee, according to the agenda read at the start of the meeting. The transcript contains no subsequent vote or final appointment action on the task force during the Aug. 25 meeting. Pepper's remarks were recorded during the public-comment portion for the legislative agenda; the clerk closed that comment period and proceeded to the consent and other business items.