Fiscal Note
The proposed waiving of the rent abatement application fee will likely result in less than $200 of foregone revenue in 2021. The average annual revenue for the past three years has been $163 with 2020 only realizing $30 in fee revenue. Application fees have historically been waived for any income-qualifying applicant.
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SUBSTITUTE - Amending Section 32.04(4)(e)(1) of the Madison General Ordinances to repeal the rent abatement application fee of ten dollars ($10).
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DRAFTER’S ANALYSIS: This proposal waives the ten dollar Rent Abatement Application Fee for all tenants who apply for rent abatement prior to June 30, 2021. This proposal is introduced at the request of the Landlord Tenant Issues Committee and is a response to hardships caused by COVID-19.
This substitute repeals the ten dollar ($10) Rent Abatement Fee requirement.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Paragraph 1. entitled “Application for Authorization for Rent Abatement” of Subdivision (e) entitled “Procedure” of Subsection (4) entitled “Authorization of Rent Abatement” of Section 32.04 is amended as follows:
“1. Application for Authorization for Rent Abatement. An eligible tenant who may be entitled to abate a portion of his/her rental payment under this ordinance shall have thirty (30) days from publication of the notice of possible eligibility by the Building Inspection Division of the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development to file a request for a hearing on authorization for rent abatement. The request shall be in writing on a form approved by the Landlord and Tenant Issues Committee, shall state with specificity the name and address of the landlord and the alleged rent impairing violation(s) and shall be filed with the Building Inspection Division. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of ten dollars ($10) made payable to the City Treasurer, which fee shall be recovered from the landlord if abatement is ordered. If the applicant qualifies for waiver of the filing fees, however, the application shall be accompanied by an affidavit of economic hardship signed by the applicant. Within ten (10) days of the filing of the request, the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development staff shall select a Hearing Examiner from the Rent Abatement Hearing Examiner panel, set a time and place for the hearing and give the landlord and the tenant(s) written notice thereof. The hearing shall be held as soon as possible, but not prior to the end of the 30-day filing period. Notice of the hearing including a statement of the time, place and nature of the hearing shall be mailed to the landlord and tenant(s) at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing.”