PONTIAC, Mich. – Pontiac City Council members, including Councilman Mikal Goodman and Council President Mike McGuinness, are set to unveil a series of legislative measures aimed at improving tenant rights and promoting affordable housing in the city on Tuesday afternoon at City Hall.
Key components of the legislation are as follows:
Pursue an affordable housing preservation inventory
Provide tenants’ rights information to residents
Require prior disclosure of rental fees
Ensure leases are in writing
Build in a right to renew for Pontiac renters
Safeguard against just cause evictions
Pursue humane pet requirements in rental properties
Require notice before nonpayment evictions
Provide a right to initial and final inspections
Ensure copies of leases are provided to tenants
Address prorated rent challenges
Safeguard rent paid in cash with receipt documentation
Restrict automatic lease renewals
Goodman emphasized in the news release the importance of these measures, stating, “We’re aiming for Pontiac to be a leader in civil rights and an innovator of tenant rights policy in Michigan.”
McGuinness added, “We’re seeking to build on the progress we’ve already made when we established the Pontiac Rental Escrow Program and strengthen registration and inspection requirements.”
Local 4 is planning to provide more details about the proposal, as well as reactions from housing advocates and landlords.
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Will Jones rejoined the Local 4 News team in February 2023 as a weekend anchor and reporter. He previously worked as a general assignment reporter for the station from 2012 to 2015.