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Rental licenses in Houghton will continue to be considered after a motion to put a hold on them failed to pass.
The Houghton City Council considered putting a moratorium on all R1 Rental License applications at their regular meeting Wednesday.
The motion was made by Councilman Buck Foltz and seconded by Councilman John Sullivan, but failed to pass with a 3-3 vote.
Councilman Dan Salo was absent.
If the council approved the resolution, an ordinance would have been drawn up to prevent any further rental license approvals for a maximum of six months.
The proposal followed a rental housing board meeting from last month when the board decided not to approve a license request for 1008 E. Houghton Avenue.
Several residents voiced their opposition to the license, citing concerns for the growing number of student rentals in the neighborhood.
The owner of the house appeared before the board Wednesday to express her disappointment in their decision, explaining that this house would have been sold to a former resident and rented out to a family, not students.
The Planning Commission is currently reviewing the city’s rental ordinance to try and address a number of concerns raised by residents over violations by landlords and renters.
