Here’s a link to an Ann Arbor News article I am quoted in from last week which I didn’t get around to posting: “Landlord certification sought”:
“Members of the Michigan’s Student Assembly have asked Ann Arbor to start certifying landlords in order to steer students to good housing.
Student Samantha Woll, a school of Literature, Sciences & the Arts representative to the assembly, told the City Council last week that the group would like to begin talking about city landlord certification.
The student assembly has discussed the matter around campus and hopes that certification will guide renters to responsible landlords, Woll said.
Woll said the details are still sketchy and she has no timeline, but the idea would be to have a list of items landlords would account for, such as monthly rental fees, number of people inside the building, and conditions of apartments and houses.
Many rental houses, she said, have holes in the walls and are infested with bats and squirrels.
Woll said certification would be voluntary, but the student organizations would advise students to first rent from landlords who are certified.
Rob Goodspeed, a student who serves on Ann Arbor’s Cool Cities Task Force, said housing is an issue the government needs to address. “Housing for students in the city tends to be low quality and overpriced,” Goodspeed said Wednesday. “Conditions for renters in the city are often abysmal.” … “
Also, the Daily has an update on the SAPAC controversy: “Debate Rages on SAPAC”.