Mount Pleasant commissioners back study of tenants' rights committee to explore local protections

Commissioner Skalitzki introduced a proposal Nov. 24 to form a tenants' rights committee to examine local options for tenant protections amid low vacancy and housing pressure in Mount Pleasant.

Supporters, including Vice Mayor Eke and other commissioners, said a committee or study group would be a useful way to gather legal advice, consult local organizations (such as Habitat for Humanity and the county housing commission) and draft potential ordinances or complaint‑handling processes. Commissioners asked staff to prepare a written 'charge' for a work session that would define scope, membership, term and desired outcomes rather than immediately create a permanent board.

Speakers noted Michigan currently lacks statewide statutory tenant protections such as a right to renew or an explicit right to repair, so local measures would require careful legal review. The commission did not adopt an ordinance; instead members requested staff prepare background materials and return with a scope and options for a dedicated work session.

The outcome: staff will return suggested language and a proposed work session agenda so commissioners can consider whether to establish an ad hoc or standing committee and what powers or referral authority—if any—the commission would grant it.

Representative quotes from the discussion included: "Michigan does not have the greatest laws in place in terms of tenants' rights...so even if you are the best tenant, at the end of your lease your landlord could say, 'we're not going to renew this,'" Commissioner Skalitzki said; Vice Mayor Eke added from her human‑rights experience that investigating housing complaints can be time‑consuming and that local support structures matter.

Next steps: staff to draft a proposed charge and options, identify potential community partners for consultation, and schedule a work session for commissioners to review the committee's scope.