Troup believes outline of residential rental property procedures will be presented to City Council by end of September

QUINCY — Mayor Mike Troup expects a new residential rental property procedure to be presented to City Council before the end of September.

Troup was optimistic about that likelihood following a late Wednesday afternoon meeting of the Residential Rental Property Registration Committee (RRPRC) inside City Hall.

“From where we started to where we are now, we have made (considerable progress), but we still have more to do,” Troup said. “I feel we’re close to being able to refer this to City Council.”

Troup does not feel it will be necessary for another meeting of the RRPRC prior to presenting a formal outline to City Council. The mayor said he expects “three readings” of the proposal before a final OK is given by council. If approved, the plan would go into effect but no penalties for non-compliance will be issued until January.

The plan is attempting to address the needs of both tenants and landlords and the rights and concerns of both buyers and sellers of rental properties were also addressed.

A variety of discussions during the 90-minute meeting emphasized the need to guard against potential problems from “falling through the cracks,” according to Alderman John Mast (R-5th Ward). 

All committee members felt this process, which began in earnest about two months ago, was necessary to ensure the rights of renters and landlords alike.

“This is a positive thing,” Mast said.

A wide variety of topics have been tackled by the RRPRC, ranging from the need for and how to best register all rental properties, allowing for a better inspection process (particularly of those sites guilty of multiple violations), guarding against discrimination in the renting process and retaliation by landlords toward tenants who register complaints.

Much of the work that still needs to be done centers around fine-tuning and/or reworking legal phrasing.

“This is something that is important to our community,” said Janet Conover, representing the Safe and Livable Housing Committee.

Much of the process that will be required, especially for landlords, will eventually be able to be done online through the city’s website.