WILLIAMSBURG — City leaders have begun gathering community input on a proposed program aimed at improving off-campus rental housing.
More than 40 people attended the first of three public sessions held Thursday at the Stryker Center on what’s called Rent Ready Williamsburg. Rent Ready is a proposed voluntary rental certification program intended to improve the quality and safety of off-campus housing near William & Mary.
Hosted by Williamsburg Planning Director Tevya Griffin, the session provided program details and took audience input via questions, comments and a survey. Concerns ranged from the quality of student rental houses, William & Mary’s responsibility in the program and the costs of inspections for landlords.
The program was one of 27 concepts identified by a city workgroup that gathered from 2019 to 2020 to address neighborhood stability issues. Among the issues that the committee identified were rental affordability and both owner and student occupancy. The program has been a goal of the city’s since 2021.
Basically, the program would create a list of well-vetted, single-family homes that would be available for rent, making sure the homes followed fair lease practices and met certain qualifications. It would also offer educational support for students looking to find rental homes.
Landlords would have to meet about a dozen qualifications, including passing inspections, having no lead or asbestos hazards within three months of occupancy and offering at least two amenities such as utilities and trash disposal. Students and landlords would be required to participate in the Rent Ready Academy, a course that covers how to be a responsible renter, neighborhood dynamics, subleasing and additional topics. The academy would be optional for owner-occupant property owners.
Rent Ready Williamsburg has been endorsed by both the city and William & Mary, meaning that both entities would encourage students and families to only consider Rent Ready properties. However, William & Mary would not require students to use the program, Griffin said.
Norfolk has a Rent Ready program that is required by the Navy for its sailors.
Among the benefits of the program, Griffin said, would be peace of mind knowing that properties are safe and habitable and the creation of positive interactions between renters and landlords.
Two more sessions are planned on the issue: at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Sadler Center on the William & Mary campus and at 6 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Stryker Center. Williamsburg City Council is scheduled to consider adoption of the program in November or December.
For more information on Rent Ready Williamsburg, go to williamsburgva.gov/1253/ProposedRent-Ready.
James W. Robinson, 757-799-0621, james.robinson@virginiamedia.com
