Councilwoman Shanae Darby said Wednesday that Wilmington leaders visited Lancaster, Pa., to study that city’s approach to licensing and inspection and that the city’s new Licenses & Inspections commissioner has begun implementing reforms.

Darby said she organized the Lancaster site visit after national contacts recommended Lancaster as a model for landlord–tenant engagement and efficient inspections. "They are using systems and processes and procedures. They're gonna make sure to hit every single rental unit," she said, adding the delegation included Mayor Mike Kearney and Commissioner Pabon.

The councilwoman told the committee the Lancaster department uses a universal checklist for inspectors, fewer but more efficient inspectors, GIS mapping and apps, and a formal process to handle short-term rentals such as Airbnb. Chief of staff Simmons told the committee the Lancaster city business license is $35; Darby and other council members contrasted that with Wilmington’s rental licensing fees, which staff later identified as $250 per unit for certain rental-property license classes.

Council members praised Commissioner Pabon’s early work. Darby said Pabon has “jumped straight in looking at the process and procedures and really cleaning up the department,” and she and others said they would give the commissioner several months to implement changes and asked him to return to the council in August or September with a formal report and presentation on reform progress.

Several council members emphasized that Lancaster’s approach combines fee revenue with service improvements and landlord incentives; they said Lancaster couples licensing with repair loan/grant programs for qualifying small landlords to address code violations. Darby and Councilmember Christian Willower said the city hopes to replicate elements such as an online rental registry, landlord education, incentives for registration, and a limited amnesty period to bring unlicensed rentals into compliance.

Public commenters during the meeting pressed the council to ensure reforms benefit renters as well as landlords. Megan Wilson, who identified herself as a Third District resident, asked whether L&I would be “planning to help renters more” and cited tenant health concerns including bed bugs.

Darby and other council members said the administration and Commissioner Pabon are supportive of the reforms described and that the city will return to council with more details on funding, schedules and, specifically, the L&I implementation plan.