City Council Debates Rent Cap at Tuesday’s Meeting

College Park City Council in Tuesday’s meeting, weighing the pros and cons of a rent ceiling for the city.

The ordinance—proposed by Councilmember Stephanie Stullich (Dist. 3)-- calls for a continuance of the rent stabilization law passed in 2005 that caps rent at around $2,500 per month for a four-bedroom house.  The rent cap will last until 2017 if passed.

City council did not vote on the ordinance; instead, a vote will be held after a July 9 public hearing, in which residents may raise concerns in front of the council.

“Tonight is just for introduction,” Mayor Andrew Fellows said.

The ordinance comes after surrounding the law, in which critics at Tuesday’s meeting said is unfair for the city’s landlords and to the city’s student population. 

“You want us to go away,” Paul Carlson, a College Park landlord said.  “The problem is we’re already here.”

Other landlords at the meeting implored the city council to consider addressing underlying problems instead of rent prices.

“You push out landlords to solve problems like noise and litter that people perceive to be a problem,” Dave Morrisson, a third generation College Park resident, said.  “It doesn’t make sense to solve a human behavior problem… by putting economic control on rents.”

But Councilmember Patrick Wojahn (Dist. 1) said during the meeting that the law is not meant as a hindrance for College Park landlords.

“It’s not intended to be offensive,” Wojahn said.  “It’s not intended as a slap in the face.  It’s not intended to tell landlords ‘we don’t like you.’”

Around 25 residents were present at the council meeting; about half of those in attendance addressed the city council.

“The numbers don’t work,” Gina Marie Hathaway, a College Park landlord, said, adding she would not have purchased her property in 2008 if she had known about rent stabilization.

Sage Policy Group wrote earlier this year that a rent stabilization law would be legal in College Park.

The rent of College Park houses can run from $300 to around $600 per person.  The rent ceiling does not affect the city’s high rise apartments like The Varsity and the View.

“The properties are nice,” Andrew Galtieri, a College Park resident, said.  “I’m paying for location more than anything, so the prices for the properties don’t seem fair with the rent cap.”