State Committee Does Not Act on Rental Property Bill

Image: Rep. Lee Chatfield, left, and Mayor Mark Meadows

Representative Lee Chatfield, Chair of the Michigan House Local Government Committee, announced at yesterday’s meeting of that committee that, following a conversation with East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows, he had decided to defer action on HB 5041. If passed into law, the bill would allow East Lansing landlords to make certain kinds of improvements to nonconforming rental properties that are not allowed by current East Lansing ordinances.

This decision was not expected, because Chatfield had said at the previous Committee meeting, on December 2, that he wanted to report out HB 5041, of which he is the principal sponsor, at this week’s meeting. (“Reporting out” means sending the proposed legislation on to the next step along with recommendations.) Eli reported on the December 2 Committee meeting here.

Supporters and opponents of the bill who came to yesterday’s meeting saw that a substitute bill had been prepared. The next text effectively limited the impact of the bill to East Lansing by making it applicable only to municipalities “where a university with 45,000 or more students is also located and where 30% or more of the residential properties are nonconforming.” No version of the bill was put to a vote by the committee, however.

Chatfield, a Republican representing the region around Mackinac, explained that he had met with former State Representative and current East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows and that Meadows had assured him that the issue of improvements to nonconforming rental properties was being looked at currently at the local level. He appreciated Meadows’ sincerity, Chatfield said, and added that he agreed that this issue should be dealt with locally.

Chatfield said he was prepared to give the City of East Lansing time to address the issue but added that he would move swiftly at a later time if he feels it is needed.

Rep. David Rutledge, a Democrat representing the Ypsilanti area, commented on Chatfield’s concern, expressed at this meeting and last week, about the constitutional protection of landlords’ property rights. Rutledge said there is a balance to be achieved, and every time local governments address a master plan or zoning issue they are setting certain limits on property rights.

Chatfield agreed that balance is the key issue and that he will be looking to see whether there are municipalities that are not taking a balanced approach.

After the committee meeting adjourned, Meadows told several people in attendance that he expected East Lansing to take about 90 to 100 days to address the issue of nonconforming rental properties. He said that the East Lansing City Council will act at its December 15 meeting to appoint members of a new committee to make recommendations to the Council on this issue. He suggested that this committee might hold a first meeting on about January 15 and meet about every two weeks thereafter.

In addition, the Planning Commission, Housing Commission, and University Student Commission, have been asked to provide recommendations to Council about Ordinance 1361 on this matter.

Minutes of the meeting identified people who were present to express their views on the bill.  

People who came to support HB 5041 included representatives of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU), Rental Property Owners Association of Michigan, Home Builders Association of Michigan, and National Federation of Independent Business.

In addition to Meadows, twelve individuals from East Lansing came to indicate their opposition to the bill, including residents of the Bailey, Chesterfield Hills, Glencairn, Oakwood, Pinecrest, and Tamarisk neighborhoods.

Reminder: Citizens can speak at or write to East Lansing's City Council on any issue, including those not on the agenda. Email can be sent to Council by writing to council@cityofeastlansing.com.