By Adam Swift
Last week, the city council approved a new ordinance that will give the city more oversight over property management companies that operate in Chelsea.
The purpose of the ordinance is to regulate property management companies operating in the city to ensure compliance with state and local regulations, promote public health and safety, and maintain the quality of housing in the city.
Under the ordinance, all property management companies must obtain a property management license to operate within the city from the licensing department.
Applicants will be required to declare all properties within the city for which they perform property management services. The licensing administrator will not accept applications from a company which has open housing complaints with the inspectional services department or has not obtained a certificate of habitability.
Councilor-at-Large Kelly Garcia said the new ordinance is one step forward in the city’s efforts to make sure apartments are safe and that residents have a dignified place to call home.
“There is not a lot the state allows us to do when it comes to improving the circumstances around housing for the residents,” said Councilor-at-Large Roberto Jimenez Rivera. “This is one area where we are allowed to do this, so it is very exciting to be able to move forward and to be able to hold accountable some of the folks causing our residents a lot of pain in their houses.”
District 1 Councilor Todd Taylor said there was a lot of work from people on the council and in the city that went into the ordinance, and made a pitch for the role subcommittee meetings played in crafting the ordinance.
Council President Norieliz De Jesus praised the efforts of La Colaborativa, working alongside MassLaw Reform, in bringing some of the property management issues to light. She also thanked city solicitor Cheryl Watson Fisher and officials from the fire and inspectional services departments, as well as the board of health, for working on the ordinance.