Safer Rentals, Stronger Communities: Lessons in Policy and Compliance from Detroit

Nearly 50 percent of Detroit households rent their homes, making the maintenance and operation of rental housing stock a priority to protect resident health and safety. At the urging of local advocates, the City of Detroit enacted an ordinance in 2017 to strengthen existing provisions regulating rental property conditions. Though this was hailed by many as a significant win for Detroit tenants, the ordinance proved difficult to enforce and comply with.

The Center for Community Progress worked closely with the City for over a year to better understand the reasons behind low compliance. From that engagement, Community Progress released Investing in the Vitality of Detroit’s Neighborhoods Through Improved Rental Regulation, which outlines strategies to address those factors. A year later, Detroit has taken significant steps to improve rental housing quality, including passing ordinance amendments intended to increase compliance.

Join this webinar to:

• Learn about the key findings that necessitated reforming the City’s existing approach to rental inspection and enforcement;
• Discover the strategies Community Progress recommended to improve compliance with rental regulations;
• Hear what the City has done to enhance its approach to improving the safety and quality of rental housing in the past year; and
• Understand how other municipalities can respond to data to amend their own rental housing policies and practices.

Speakers:

• Matt Kreis – General Counsel, Center for Community Progress
• Alan Mallach – Senior Fellow, Center for Community Progress
• Andrea Taverna – Deputy Chief Operating Officer, City of Detroit