Title
Resolution to Direct the City Attorney to Prepare an Ordinance Granting the Right to Tenants to Establish or Participate in a Tenant Organization
Staff
Reviewed by: Jennifer Richards, Senior Assistant City Attorney
John Reiser, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Body
Whereas, The majority of Ann Arbor residents are tenants;
Whereas, The City has a shortage of rental units throughout the City, and accordingly, is experiencing a housing crisis which has led to an imbalance in the relationship between landlords and tenants;
Whereas, The right of tenants to organize and participate in tenant organizations addresses this imbalance because a tenant organization, when compared with efforts by a single tenant, better empowers tenants to advocate for tenants' rights, such as improvements in housing conditions;
Whereas, Tenants of federally-subsidized multifamily housing projects enjoy protections for participating in tenant organizations under 24 C.F.R. Sections 245.100-245.135;
Whereas, Michigan state law protects tenants from retaliation for membership in a tenant organization or a lawful activity of a tenant organization, M.C.L. ? 600.5720;
Whereas, Other municipalities, including Washington, D.C., Seattle, Berkeley, Austin, and San Francisco have enacted local ordinances granting tenants the right to create tenant organizations, meet in common areas, distribute literature to other tenants, and post tenant materials on common billboards;
Whereas, Other states, including Minnesota and New York have enacted state-wide protections for tenants including the right to create and participate in tenant organizations;
Whereas, Similar local ordinance protections in the City of Ann Arbor will better enable tenants to advocate for tenants' rights, negotiate with landlords, and collectively address issues of concern to tenants; and
Whereas, Council meeting Rule 15 provides the City Administrator no less than 30 days to provide Council a report of the fiscal, staff...
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