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Cumru pauses rental‑registration enactment and authorizes an RFP to study implementation
Summary
After debating a drafted rental‑housing ordinance, the board asked staff to issue an RFP to solicit proposals (including from Craft) to evaluate practicality, fees and an implementation plan; commissioners cited the need to choose between in‑house and contract options before formally enacting the ordinance.
The board discussed a proposed rental‑housing ordinance intended to create a landlord registration and inspection program and a compliance framework for rental properties. Staff had drafted the ordinance and incorporated comments from commissioners, but members and public commenters raised implementation questions — especially whether the township should administer inspections in‑house or contract them out — and possible budgetary and enforcement implications.
Commissioner 7 summarized the proposed three‑phase Craft proposal (approx. $6,380): 1) practical review of the drafted ordinance, 2) modeling of fees intended to make the program net‑neutral, and 3) an implementation plan to guide whether inspections and enforcement should be in‑house or contracted. Code enforcement officer Wayne Feinberg recommended evaluating bringing the program in‑house to preserve revenue and control; others urged a careful cost analysis.
After public comment and questions about constitutional and implementation risk associated with landlord/tenant enforcement, the board agreed not to move directly to enactment. Instead commissioners asked staff to prepare and advertise an RFP so the township can compare Craft’s proposal with alternatives and return with a recommendation. The board emphasized the goal of designing a program that does not shift undue costs to tenants and that is administrable by the township whether implemented internally or by contract.
