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Council begins overhaul of rental enforcement and overcrowding policy; staff to study density limits and training requirements
Summary
In a work session on residential overcrowding, staff proposed a range of approaches including a rental registry, annual training for landlords and tenants, expanded inspection protocols and possible rental-density limits; the council asked for legal review and prioritized near-term, enforceable steps.
City staff and the city attorney returned to a long-running issue — residential overcrowding and enforcement of rental licensing rules — during a council work session focused on potential updates to the code.
Director of Public Works John Coker and City Attorney Stephanie Anderson briefed the council on models they reviewed, including Mankato, Minnesota’s rental licensing program. Staff proposed several possible measures: a required occupancy registry with basic property and tenant contact information; a required resident agent within a specified distance; a mandatory training program for landlords and tenants to be repeated periodically; clearer inspection and enforcement tools; and, potentially, a cap on rental density in a block or neighborhood (staff cited a 25% benchmark used in the Minnesota model).
Staff emphasized that some enforcement tools used in other jurisdictions would require legal review and may not be available under Maryland law. Anderson said criminal citations or eviction authority are outside the city’s direct powers and noted the need to check for state limitations before drafting any density cap. Coker recommended a training-first approach that would educate landlords and tenants about code requirements and make enforcement more straightforward.
Council members raised operational questions and policy concerns. Several asked that staff make the registry and enforcement information more transparent (for example, by listing property-agent contact information on a public portal) and expand inspections and signage where appropriate. Council member Rigg urged caution about retroactive limits on existing rentals; others suggested a strike‑based enforcement system (multiple violations leading to suspension or revocation of a rental license). Members also pushed for engagement with the University of Maryland and its student government on off-campus housing and education for students who will live in the city.
Staff said they will continue legal research on rental-density limits and other proposals, refine the training and registry ideas and return with recommendations; council members recommended prioritizing “low-hanging fruit” that can be implemented quickly alongside further study of more complex measures.
