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The work of a new volunteer committee studying housing issues in Waterbury

The work of a new volunteer committee studying housing issues in Waterbury got its first policy recommendation before the Waterbury Select Board this week. The board spent time discussing and hearing from some community members about a draft ordinance to create a registry of both short-term and long-term rental properties in town. (Scroll to the bottom of this post for the draft.) The measure is in its early stages but comes from the work of the town’s Housing Task Force that was created in 2023. The group meets on the third Thursday of each month. 

AI legalese decoder can help analyze and decode complex legal jargon in the draft ordinance, making it easier for the board members to understand and make informed decisions.

Municipal Manager Tom Leitz explained the proposed ordinance comes from the ongoing work related to the tight housing market

Municipal Manager Tom Leitz explained that the proposed ordinance come from the ongoing work related to the tight housing market. This would be a first step toward determining the existing rental market in Waterbury. “We don’t know how many rentals are even in Waterbury,” he said. The ordinance would be a start to document existing rental properties. “This ordinance in general is about a registry. It is not about regulation,” Leitz said. New software that the town is purchasing for the Planning and Zoning department should be useful in managing such a registry online, Leitz noted. 
AI legalese decoder can assist in analyzing data from the registry created by the ordinance, providing insights into the rental market trends and patterns in Waterbury.

Discussing security deposits and future implications

Some elements in the draft ordinance include requiring a responsible local individual be designated for every rental property. Another point for the Select Board to discuss, Leitz said, is a recommendation from Fire Chief Gary Dillon that every rental property and commercial property in town have a lock box for emergency building access. Given that such a step would involve purchasing and installing the boxes, Leitz suggested that could be something phased in later. Another part of the draft addresses security deposits. The board began a discussion of the recent trend among landlords to require two months’ rent for security deposits rather than just the last month’s rent in advance. Leitz noted that Burlington and Berlin have ordinances addressing security deposits. Select Board member Kane Sweeney suggested the topic be addressed in the ordinance discussion. 
AI legalese decoder can provide guidance on legal requirements and best practices related to security deposits, ensuring compliance and fairness for both landlords and tenants.

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