Council asks staff to study tenant‑rights ordinances and debates police report timing

Council instructed city staff to research tenant‑rights ordinances used in other municipalities and to return with options that could inform future local policy.

"Can the staff research what tenants rights ordinance have been successful in other communities so that they can be presented to a future city council," Councilmember Benavente said, citing peer efforts in Charlotte and Durham and saying the aim is to identify approaches such as rent abatement where units are declared uninhabitable.

Several councilmembers asked staff to include state law in that review; Mayor Pro Tem warned that Fayetteville lacks shelter capacity and cautioned against unintended homelessness if habitability rules led to immediate displacements.

Separately, Councilmember Benavente proposed that every city department, including the Fayetteville Police Department, submit reports to the City Clerk by the Friday before the public posting so the public and council have time to review. Chief Bryant said the police department typically prefers to provide council context first so that councilmembers can respond to constituents' questions.

That proposal to change the submission deadline failed for lack of a second. Councilmembers agreed, however, to direct staff to research tenant‑rights ordinances and report back with comparisons and how state law interacts with local options.

Council emphasized the research request is informational; no ordinance or ordinance language was adopted at the work session.