Public invited to citizen-led Town Hall on proposed Fishers rental cap ordinance

Submitted

A proposed ordinance sits before the Fishers City Council which would control the number of rental properties by imposing a citywide cap.

Opponents of the ordinance say would limit current homeowners’ property rights.

The ordinance is the first of its kind in Indiana and would limit the number of rentals to no more than 10 percent of a neighborhood, including townhome communities and single-family home neighborhoods.

Homeowners would need to register and be approved for a rental permit by the city before renting their home or selling it to a buyer that intends to rent it to a tenant. A rental permit would be denied if the neighborhood’s number of for-rent properties had already reached the 10 percent cap or homeowner doesn’t meet certain exceptions.

Opponents say there has been minimal opportunity for residents to learn details and provide feedback on the ordinance. The language of the ordinance was first introduced at the Feb. 24 City Council meeting, without a public hearing or announcement. It is anticipated that the ordinance will be approved at the March 17 city council meeting – three weeks after first being introduced.

As of Wednesday afternoon, no FAQs about the proposed rental cap can be found on the city’s website. The ordinance language can be found within the Feb. 24 meeting agenda packet, which you can find at this link. The City of Fishers has recently announced a Rental Registration Webinar presented by city staff for the public at noon on Monday, March 10.

It should be noted that Fishers residents who are unavailable to attend a webinar during the workday may miss this sole opportunity to learn and provide feedback.

Several Fishers citizens have independently studied the rental cap proposal and collected rental data to better understand the ordinance’s implications. They are offering this information to the public and have created an additional opportunity for residents to learn and share feedback.

A citizen-led Town Hall will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 10 in the Center/Stage Meeting Room at Hamilton East Public Library in Fishers.

This Town Hall is designed to help residents decipher the proposed city ordinance and learn about the rental cap details. All are welcome to attend this in-person event.

City representatives and other stakeholders have also been invited to attend and present information at this Town Hall on the evening of March 10.