Renters Commission

City of Ann Arbor 301 E. Huron St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 http://a2gov.legistar.com/ Formal Minutes Calendar.aspx Renters Commission Thursday, April 20, 2023 7:30 PM Electronic Meeting Broadcast live on CTN Cable Channel 16, ATT Channel 99, and online at a2gov.org/watchCTN Public comment can be made by calling 877-853-5247 Meeting ID: 935 8080 1941 or via Zoom by joining the meeting at: a2gov.org/RentersCommissionMeeting 1 CALL TO ORDER Chair Farah called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM 2 ROLL CALL Chair Farah called the roll. Commissioner Roumel attended the meeting from Ann Arbor Township, MI. All other members attended from the City of Ann Arbor, MI. Staff Present: Heather Seyfarth, Director of Housing and Economic Development, Ann Arbor Housing Commission John Reiser, City of Ann Arbor Senior Assistant City Attorney (joined the meeting at 7:50 pm) Kristen Vander Lugt, City of Ann Arbor City Clerk's Office Present: 10 - Zackariah Farah, Lucy Peterson, Travis Radina, Gayle Rosen, Nicholas Roumel, Cynthia Harrison, Jaymie Tibbits, Geoffrey Lowes, Jordan Else, and Robert Droppleman Absent: 3- Robert P Kelly, Hannah Cohen Smith, and Dandan Chen 3 APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Lowes, seconded by Peterson, approved unanimously as presented. City of Ann Arbor Page 1 Renters Commission Formal Minutes April 20, 2023 4 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 4-A 23-0678 Minutes of the March 16, 2023 Renters Commission Meeting Attachments: 3-16-2023 Renters Commission Minutes.pdf Motion by Peterson, seconded by Lowes, that the Minutes be approved by the Board and forwarded to the City Council. Motion carried unanimously. 5 FIRST GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT - THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER 6 BUSINESS 6-A 23-0679 Presentation: Equitable Engagement Report Presentation Attachments: EE Report Presentation_Commissions (2).pdf Heather Seyfarth, provided the presentation. 6-B 23-0680 Action Item: Resolution in Support of an Ordinance to Ban Natural Gas Connections in New Construction and Major Renovations Attachments: Resolution in Support of an Ordinance to Ban Natural Gas Connections in New Construction and Major Renovations3.16.pdf, Resolution in Support of an Ordinance to Ban Natural Gas Connections in New Construction and Major Renovations 4.20.pdf, Approved 4-20-2023_Resolution in Support of an Ordinance to Ban Natural Gas Connections in New Construction and Major Renovations.pdf PUBLIC COMMENT Rich Fein, expressed support for the proposed resolution MAIN MOTION: Moved by Farah, seconded by Peterson, to approve the Resolution in Support of an Ordinance to Ban Natural Gas Connections in New Construction and Major Renovations AMENDMENT TO MAIN MOTION: City of Ann Arbor Page 2 Renters Commission Formal Minutes April 20, 2023 Moved by Farah, seconded by Lowes, that the Resolution in Support of an Ordinance to Ban Natural Gas Connections in New Construction and Major Renovations be amended as follows: Change: "a high-efficiency air source heat pump rated at 10.3 HSPF is more than twice as efficient at 5 degrees Fahrenheit as a modern high-efficiency gas furnace" to "high-efficiency cold climate heat pumps provide a seasonal heating efficiency more than twice that of a modern high efficiency gas furnace" Add: WHEREAS, on April 11th, 2023, the Ann Arbor Energy Commission passed a resolution in support of banning natural gas connections in new constructions Add: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ann Arbor Energy Commission urges the City Council to ask the City Administrator to work with the City Planning Commission to draft and pass, with the great urgency fitting a declared emergency, an ordinance banning natural gas connections, with extremely limited exceptions, for all new construction, as well as major renovations and additions, for Council’s consideration; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Renters Commission suggests that City Council pursue the implementation of policies that will increase the energy efficiency of rental units, for example, the proposed Green Rental Housing efficiency checklist, rebates for efficient electric appliances like heat pumps, induction stoves, and programmable thermostats; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be communicated to the Planning Commission. VOTE ON AMENDMENT: On a voice vote, the vote was as follows with the Chair declaring the amendment approved. Yeas: 6- Farah, Peterson, University of Michigan Student Legal Services Liaison Rosen, Roumel, Tibbits, and Lowes Nays: 0 City of Ann Arbor Page 3 Renters Commission Formal Minutes April 20, 2023 Absent: 5- P Kelly, Cohen Smith, Chen, Landlord Advocate Else, and Landlord Advocate Droppleman VOTE ON MAIN MOTION On a voice vote, the vote was as follows with the Chair declaring the Resolution in Support of an Ordinance to Ban Natural Gas Connections in New Construction and Major Renovations approved as amended. Approved resolution attached. Yeas: 5- Farah, Peterson, University of Michigan Student Legal Services Liaison Rosen, Tibbits, and Lowes Nays: 1- Roumel Absent: 3- P Kelly, Cohen Smith, and Chen 6-C 23-0681 Discussion: Discussion of Remedies Related to the Apartment Waitlist issue, Informed by the Waitlist Report Attachments: Report_ Waitlists for Rental Units in Ann Arbor (1).pdf, Approved 4-20-2023_ Renters Commission Report- Waitlists for Rental Units in Ann Arbor.pdf Moved by Roumel, seconded by Peterson, to provide the Waitlist Report to the City Council On a roll call vote, the vote was as follows with the Chair declaring the motion approved. Yeas: 5- Farah, Peterson, Roumel, Tibbits, and Lowes Nays: 0 Absent: 3- P Kelly, Cohen Smith, and Chen 6-D 23-0682 Discussion: Establishing a Liaison to the Housing and Human Services Advisory Board and Human Rights Commission 6-E 23-0692 Plan for May 18, 2023 Meeting 7 REPORTS City of Ann Arbor Page 4 Renters Commission Formal Minutes April 20, 2023 7-A Report from City Council 7-B Report from City Council 7-C Report from HHSAB Liaison 7-D Report from Staff Liaison 7-E Reports from Commissioners, Committees, and/or Work Groups 8 SECOND GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT - THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER 9 COMMUNICATION 9-A 23-0693 Various Communication to the Renters Commission Attachments: Email from Connell_Redacted.pdf, Forest Place Appt Emails_Redacted.pdf, Mixed-Fuel vs All-Electric Energy CO2 and Cost Analysis.pdf 10 ADJOURNMENT Moved by Lowes, seconded by Peterson to adjourn the meeting at 9:54 PM. Unanimously approved. Commission public meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. These meetings provide opportunities for the public to address the Commission. All persons are encouraged to participate in public meetings. Citizens requiring translation or sign language services or other reasonable accommodations may contact the City Clerk's office at 734.794.6140; via e-mail to: cityclerk@a2gov.org; or by written request addressed and mailed to: City Clerk's Office, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Requests need to be received at least two (2) business days in advance of the meeting. Renters Commission meeting agendas and packets are available from the Legislative Information Center on the City Clerk's page of the City's website (http://a2gov.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx ). These meetings are typically broadcast on Ann Arbor Community Television Network Comcast 16 / AT&T 99 live at 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM City of Ann Arbor Page 5 Renters Commission Formal Minutes April 20, 2023 City of Ann Arbor Page 6