Council hears divided testimony on proposed tenant‑relocation‑fee exception for landlord‑caused damage

The Lansing City Council took public testimony Dec. 8 on an ordinance amending the city’s tenant‑relocation‑fee rules to add an exception when an owner or party in interest shows by “clear and convincing evidence” that unsafe or uninhabitable conditions were caused directly by a tenant.

Vice President Carter summarized the amendment as an addition to Chapter 14.60 that would let owners be exempt from the tenant‑relocation fee if they can file written clear evidence with code compliance and the city attorney within 10 days after premises are vacated. Supporters of the amendment included representatives of rental‑property owners and landlords who said the change would protect responsible owners from paying relocation fees for tenant‑caused damage.

Opponents — including tenant advocates and some residents — argued the exception would open a path for landlords to avoid responsibility, that landlords already have incentives to delay repairs, and that the power imbalance favors owners who can hire representation. Public commenters and speakers urged the council to preserve tenant protections and to ensure close procedural safeguards if an exception is allowed.

Why it matters: Tenant‑relocation fees are a tool to hold landlords accountable when units are declared unsafe and tenants must be relocated; an exception based on landlord evidence would change how costs are allocated and how code‑enforcement determinations are remedied.

What’s next: The clerk referred the amendment to the Public Safety Committee for further review; no ordinance was adopted at the Dec. 8 meeting.