Council passes resolution aiming to hold landlords responsible for subpar properties
The city council passed a resolution aimed at ensuring accountability in property management at its meeting on Monday. The resolution asks the city to establish a good standing policy, where only landlords who pass proper inspections and have properties in reasonable shape are allowed to apply for and receive new licenses, permits, or business ventures.
During the public speaking portion of the meeting, a number of residents spoke out about the high cost of housing, as well as the lack of accountability when it comes to maintenance and other issues by some landlords in the city. Last week, La Colaborativa and tenants of the Broadway Capital Park/Pearl properties mobilized to prevent the displacement of 30 families and to ensure that what they said were uninhabitable conditions were addressed.
Lifelong Chelsea resident and La Colaborativa member Lizet Vasquez said the organization was before the council to request that city leaders help create change for Chelsea. “I have had many friends who have had to move out of Chelsea due to the rent increases,” said Vasquez. “Their families are not able to afford the cost of living and are forced to move out. Some of my friends and family have had to get two or three jobs to afford their rent. “This is not something that is new to our city, but it is not something that should be considered normal,” she continued. “Our community should be able to have affordable housing and affordable living, and they should not have to decide if their paychecks are going toward groceries or rent.” She said elected officials need to address the need for more affordable housing and better tenant protection. Chelsea has seen a troubling rise in evictions following the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to more homelessness and instability.
Gustavo Gomez said he lives on Broadway with his brother and two other people, and said he wanted to speak for the immigrant community seeking affordable housing in the city. Beatrice Sanchez of La Colaborativa spoke about many of the unsafe and unsanitary living conditions her organization sees in the city every day. Residents and La Colaborativa members also raised a number of concerns about the living conditions in many rental units in the city. In his time working with La Colaborativa, Brendan Mitchell said residents and tenants have not asked him for gentrified buildings. “They have asked for a stove that works, or rat traps, or how to get rid of mold, or why their children are constantly coughing or why their water tastes funny,” he said. “Unfortunately, some people, what do they receive when they ask those questions? Some people who have been evicted recently only receive eviction notices.”
The council approved the accountability in property management resolution, and also moved it to its housing subcommittee for further discussion on the issues it addresses. “We’ve heard tonight about mice, about stoves that are not working, about heat that is not working, rents that are out of control,” said Councilor-at-Large Roberto JImenez-Rivera. “I’ve heard myself about people who were told they were going to have their rent increased because they had a kid, which is highly illegal. I just want to thank everyone who came out today to speak about this critical issue. “This is happening day in and day out, and people can’t live this way, so we need to do something about it.” District 1 Councilor Todd Taylor said it is a big issue for the city to hold bad landlords accountable. “I wholeheartedly agree that no one should have to live in an apartment where the stove doesn’t work or rats,” Taylor said.
“Every single landlord needs to be held accountable for the condition of their property, no question about it, and I will be the first one to lead the charge to hold bad landlords accountable.” Taylor said the resolution was a commonsense measure, but noted that the larger issue of housing is a complicated issue. “What a lot of the folks might not understand is that the city council only has so much power to do things,” he said. “You need to go and please, advocate at the State House, talk to your state representative and your state senator about state policies that can address some of the other problems that you are talking about.” Council President Norieliz DeJesus said the resolution is something she has been working on for many years, and that it highlights the council’s commitment to listening to its residents about the challenges they are facing.
“This has been the reality for many years that our children, our students go home to sleep in these overcrowded apartments with mice and housing code violations,” said DeJesus. “It is out of control, and it is also not fair that the only ones held accountable by the city with some type of consequence are the tenants. In these situations, the landlords wash their hands and there are no consequences whatsoever.” Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson said the council should invite state Representative Judith Garcia and state Senator Sal DiDomenico to the housing committee conference where the resolution will be discussed.