DETROIT – The Detroit Tenants Association is fighting to move a proposed ordinance forward that would prohibit landlords from refusing to offer lease renewals to current tenants without cause.
The organization is hosting a press conference on Saturday (July 12) at 11 a.m. at the union office of IBEW Local 58, located at 1358 Abbott Street, to advocate for a “right to renew” ordinance.
The city law would prevent landlords from ending a tenancy, except in cases of “good cause” such as lease violations or failure to pay rent.
Lead organizer Steven Rimmer says it would prevent unjust evictions or landlord retaliation, something he says he experienced personally after speaking out about maintenance issues and fighting to reverse a rent increase at his former apartment.
“My landlord saw the power that we built, and he told me when your lease expires, you gotta go,” Rimmer said. “I was like – he can’t do that. Then I looked up the laws in the state of Michigan – he can.”
The City of Detroit Law Department issued an opinion on the proposed ordinance this week.
The opinion states the “just cause” portion of the ordinance conflicts with state law regarding the eviction process and suggests two alternate provisions.
One provision would require landlords to provide terms and conditions of a lease renewal by 180 days before the end of a current lease.
The other would require landlords who do not make a timely “good faith” offer to renew a written lease for a tenant to pay the tenant relocation assistance unless they meet a notable exception.
“The ordinance, as written, presented legal challenges which the city’s Law Department just opined about this past Tuesday at the close of business,” Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield said in a statement. “Based on that opinion, the proposed ordinance requires some amendments, and my office will be working with the Detroit Tenants Association in the coming weeks to make the necessary changes to have the ordinance approved as to form by the City’s Corporation Counsel. With that said, I remain committed to working to ensure that tenants have a voice and rights that are respected and honored.”
“There is no court ruling preventing Detroit from protecting tenants against no-cause evictions. The law isn’t the obstacle — leadership is,” Rimmer said. “The Law Department admits Detroit can pass early lease renewal notice and relocation assistance. These are important steps, but they are not enough. Without good cause protections, landlords will continue to displace tenants for profit, without reason, and without accountability.”
The ordinance has faced pushback from organizations representing landlords. The Detroit Metropolitan Apartment Association said it would prevent landlords from ending rental agreements over legitimate reasons, such as late payments or noise violations.
“Rather than have to file an eviction action against the tenant, which could cost thousands of dollars and a lengthy period of time, the landlord may simply wish to wait until the lease has expired by its terms and decline to renew that tenant’s lease,” the association said in a statement.
“The right to renew ordinance eliminates this option for the landlord.”
You can read the association’s full statement below:
Right to Renew statement by brandon carr on Scribd
Rimmer said the tenants’ union is prepared to fight to keep the “just cause” portion, citing similar ordinances passed in cities like Ann Arbor.
“People need a place to stay, especially if they’re not doing anything wrong,” Rimmer said. “We have the right to organize, the state law to organize in our building, so we feel like this is something simple, something that’s already in other cities across the state.”