Updated on Sept. 16 at 3:50 p.m. ET
A group of East Lansing residents is campaigning against a ballot measure that would change city housing regulations.
Residents successfully petitioned to put a proposal before voters in November. Supporters said the city’s housing code limits a property owner's ability to invite guests or live-in medical providers into their homes—and that the city imposes unfair penalties.
The proposal before voters states it would bar the city from restricting "in any way relationships of persons living together as a household or residing in the home, or interfere with the rights of owners to live with persons of their choice, as long as such persons are not rent-paying tenants."
Some community members aren’t convinced, including Molly Szpunar. She said she's worried the measure would prohibit the city from enforcing nearly any housing restrictions, which she said could undermine safety requirements and allow more landlords to purchase neighborhood homes for student rentals.
"It takes a sledgehammer to our rental ordinances and makes it incredibly hard for the city to enforce any regulation,” she said.
Two city councilmembers have also claimed the proposal would undermine East Lansing's ability to create rental restriction overlays that prevent homes from going up for rent in certain neighborhoods. Supporters said their approach would preserve the rental code.
Szpunar said it's important for East Lansing to preserve neighborhood homes for families. With record-high enrollment at Michigan State University, she said she's concerned a lack of rental restrictions would disrupt neighborhoods by leading to more homes going up for rent or being converted into short-term rentals.
"This town has always needed to strike a balance between making sure that there [is] appropriate housing for our students, as well as neighborhoods for people that live here on a long-term basis and send their kids to school, and want to work locally, walk to school, walk downtown," she said.
She also said it's unclear how the city would implement the proposal if voters approve it.
“If the city has to go to court to figure out how to administer this and figure out how to maintain safety and rental ordinances, it's going to be expensive. And frankly, I'd rather see that money spent elsewhere.” Szpunar said.
Szpunar is part of the group Save Our Neighborhoods EL, an organization urging residents to vote against the housing charter amendment in November.
Discussions around the ballot proposal and rules for houseguests in the city have been contentious. Some members of the East Lansing City Council say homeowners can already have guests live with them, accusing the petitioners of engaging in "disinformation."
In the meantime, the council is exploring an ordinance to clarify its rental code and rules around houseguests. Szpunar said her organization is supportive of the draft ordinance.
Those in favor of the housing ballot proposal had previously expressed support for the ordinance, but members also raised concerns with certain details in the document. The group is asking the city to amend the ordinance to modify its definition of a guest and provide advance notice for violations before issuing fines.