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Freeport renews Ptolemy rental‑registry contract after jump in registration rate
Summary
City council approved a one‑year renewal with Ptolemy at $21,000 after staff reported identified rental parcels nearly tripled registration and staff collected late fees; 606 properties remain unregistered and face $500 per‑unit fines beginning July 1.
The Freeport City Council voted to renew the city’s rental‑registry platform contract with Ptolemy at an annual fee of $21,000, following staff reports that the software sharply increased rental registration and automated violation and late‑fee processes.
Director Duffman, who presented the item, said Ptolemy identified almost 2,700 suspected rental parcels in Freeport and that staff registered more than 2,000 properties through the platform, producing a 77% participation rate for 2025. By contrast, the city’s prior highest participation was 32% (858 rental properties) under a manual process.
Duffman told the council the software reduced staff time by automating application intake and by instantly notifying landlords of code violations; the city has collected about $2,200 in late fees so far. He said 606 properties still need to register; staff plans to issue $500‑per‑unit violations for those properties on July 1 and schedule adjudication hearings in late August or early September if they remain out of compliance.
Why it matters: city staff said the platform increased compliance and allowed quicker notification to landlords for code issues, while giving the city an automated method to assess and collect late fees.
Council adopted the resolution to renew Ptolemy’s platform by roll-call vote.
