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College Park staff roll out Early Lease Ordinance: complaint process, outreach and penalties explained
Summary
City staff briefed the council on implementing the early-lease ordinance that bars landlords from offering lease renewals earlier than 180 days before lease end; the city will publish FAQs and a waiver form, conduct landlord and student outreach, and enforce violations with financial penalties.
City staff told the mayor and council they have begun implementing the Early Lease Ordinance (ELO), a city law intended to reduce pressure on tenants — particularly students — to renew leases too early.
Under the ordinance, landlords may not offer a renewal earlier than 180 days before the end of a current lease unless the tenant signs a city-standard waiver. Staff said they are preparing a webpage that will include the ordinance text, FAQs, an electronic complaint form (with an affidavit component), and the city-provided waiver template for landlords and tenants.
Staff described the complaint and enforcement workflow: residents will submit complaints online or in person; the city ombudsman will verify facts and submit allegations to code enforcement; code enforcement will investigate by interviewing tenant(s) and landlord(s) and will decide whether to pursue enforcement. The city emphasized education and outreach as the first line of implementation.
Penalties for violations were noted during the meeting. Staff said city code includes fines for violation of the ELO and that the ordinance provides graduated penalties with a first-offense fine and larger penalties for subsequent violations. On the meeting record a staff member summarized the schedule of penalties: “For the very first offense is $500 and the subsequent are going to be $2,500 and each subsequent,” referencing the penalty structure embedded in the adopted ordinance.
Staff outlined a multifaceted outreach plan targeted at landlords, leasing offices and student audiences. Plans include distributing flyers, posting a one-page summary on the city website, sending letters to landlords tied to occupancy records, and placing information at high-traffic student events such as the university’s First-Look Fair and local 'Free Fest' days. The city will also make materials available in Spanish as requested by councilmembers.
Staff noted some limitations. The ELO protects current tenants from early renewal offers but does not prohibit landlords from marketing to prospective new tenants; it does not include a “good-cause” eviction prohibition, which would require state-level action. Councilmembers asked that outreach extend into September for better student reach and asked staff to return with implementation lessons after the first lease cycle.
What to expect next: the ELO FAQ, waiver and complaint form will be published on the city website; the ombudsman and code enforcement will begin intake and educational outreach; staff will report back to council after initial enforcement experience.
