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Council considers moving utility bills to homeowners and a rental-licensing program
Summary
Staff proposed shifting utility billing into homeowners' names and discussed establishing rental‑licensing with inspection schedules (every two to three years) and contractor inspection rates; staff cited a MetroWest model and recommended a phased rollout.
Staff proposed changing the utility-billing practice so that bills are in the homeowner's name rather than the renter's and suggested using that verification to support a rental-licensing program. The presenter said the proposed licensing model would include an initial licensing fee and inspections every two to three years, with an inspection contractor rate in the packet described as $100 per hour billed in 30-minute increments.
Staff said the approach aims to increase accountability and help fund code enforcement ("we're not looking to make money off of it, but it would help us pay the code enforcement"). Council discussed exemptions (for homesteads or family-member rentals) and asked staff to return with a formal proposal including fee schedules and an implementation timeline.
