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Bay City commission adopts resolution directing staff to study equitable rental‑housing measures
Summary
Commissioner Bernie Obershaw introduced a resolution asking city staff to study measures to improve rental‑housing safety and fairness, including code amendments, repair timelines, penalties and guidance on rent‑setting software; the commission adopted the resolution and asked for a staff report within 90 days.
The Bay City Commission on July 21 adopted a resolution asking the city manager to study options for improving rental‑housing safety, accountability and equity and to return findings and recommendations within 90 days.
Commissioner Bernie Obershaw introduced the resolution, which the text says the city is "committed to ensuring that housing options are accessible, fair housing and equitable for all residents" and notes that "approximately 30% of all in the City Of Bay City are rental properties." The resolution directs staff to review City code, enforcement fines, repair timelines for health‑and‑safety issues, penalties for rent increases that violate lease terms, and the legality and ethical use of automated rent‑setting software.
Why it matters: The resolution seeks to direct staff to develop possible municipal responses to concerns about housing habitability, out‑of‑jurisdiction investors, and the use of automated tools that could affect rent levels. The commission’s action initiates staff analysis and possible code amendments rather than immediate regulatory changes.
Key provisions and next steps
- Scope of staff study: The resolution asks the city manager to evaluate amendments to the municipal code (including section 26‑28b, the city’s registry of ownership and premises), review and recommend revisions to fines for violations affecting critical dwelling infrastructure (electrical, plumbing, windows/doors, ADA/Fair Housing accessibility features), and consider timelines for owners to make emergency repairs (the draft mentions 24 hours for certain health and safety issues).
- Rent‑setting and enforcement: The resolution directs staff to review penalties for landlords who increase rent in violation of a lease and to explore whether the city can restrict or regulate the use of automated rent‑setting software; it also asks staff to consider doubling equitable fees for violations by for‑profit entities based outside Bay City.
- Deadline and deliverable: The resolution requests that staff report findings and recommendations to the commission within 90 days of adoption.
Action and vote
- Adoption: Commissioner Runberg moved to approve the resolution; Commissioner Bernie Obershaw seconded. The roll‑call vote recorded by the clerk on the final motion as amended was unanimous among commissioners present: a majority of commissioners voted yes and the clerk announced the motion adopted (final roll call entries in transcript show all listed commissioners voting "Yes").
Context and public input
- Legal references cited in the resolution include a reference to Michigan compiled laws related to housing (as read into the record) and federal accessibility laws: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The resolution also cites the city code registry of ownership (section 26‑28b).
- The record includes public comments both for and against municipal broadband feasibility study (a separate agenda item) and neighborhood speakers who raised housing and public‑safety concerns; the rental‑housing resolution was introduced from the dais and added to the agenda before adoption.
What the resolution does not do
- The resolution does not itself change city code or impose new penalties; it directs staff to study options and return recommendations for possible code amendments or other actions.
