Will the condo conversion ordinance disappear?
By George P. Hassett

The public hearing for a controversial piece of legislation designed to strengthen tenants rights was cancelled this week. A meeting had been scheduled for Oct. 10 at 7:00 p.m. for public input on possible changes to Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone‚Äôs proposed  condominium conversion ordinance.

   ‚ÄúThe administration asked me to place it on file,‚Äù said Ward 3 Alderman Thomas F. Taylor, chair of the Legislative Matters Committee. ‚ÄúBasically, that means we‚Äôre not going to do anything with it.‚Äù
   City spokesperson Thomas P. Champion said the administration had received ‚Äúdozens upon dozens‚Äù of e-mails and written responses offering input on the proposed legislation. A group of people within the city and beyond will now be appointed to a group that will draft new legislation, he said.
   The original legislation prompted widespread outcry and criticism from property owners. The Small Property Owners Association distributed a mailing which labeled Curtatone‚Äôs proposal ‚Äúback door rent control.‚Äù
   Curtatone‚Äôs ordinance would have increased the notification times — to up to four years — that landlords would be required to provide before converting their multifamily buildings into condos and selling off the units. Somerville’s current rules for conversion require landlords to give tenants one year’s notice of a conversion. The elderly, handicapped, and low income residents have two years.
   Under current law, landlords pay $300 in relocation reimbursement to low-income tenants.  Curtatone‚Äôs provision would require paying $2,000 or one month’s rent to tenants, and $4,000 or two months rent to the elderly, handicapped, and those with low incomes. He said the ordinance would add predictability to condo conversions, while protecting the rights of tenants.
  Between July 2004 and June 2005, 578 condominium units were created in the city, a 70 percent increase over the prior fiscal year. Current conversions are expected to meet or exceed last year’s pace. The conversions have been a needed boost to Somerville‚Äôs economy, which relies mainly on residents to fund municipal services because of the lack of a significant commercial tax base. But critics say conversions force out long time residents, taking away from the city‚Äôs unique character.
  ‚ÄúEveryone I know has moved,‚Äù said Mark McLaughlin a lifelong Somerville resident at the first public hearing on the issue. ‚ÄúWe‚Äôre losing our blue-collar, tight-knit community atmosphere. I don‚Äôt know my neighbors anymore, all my friends have moved to cities like Everett and Brockton. Somerville has become so much nicer in the last few years, I think they should be able to experience it too.‚Äù
   At a Legislative Matters meeting May 30, called to discuss Curtatone‚Äôs proposed ordinance, landlords packed City Hall to cheer aldermen who questioned the proposal‚Äôs legality and shout down city lawyers defending it.
   Since then, some have advised Curtatone to let the ordinance fade away but Champion said that is not going to happen.
   ‚Äú[Putting the ordinance on file] is not a way to make this issue go away,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúThere is no question this is a priority to many people in this city on both sides of the issue and we plan to handle it in an appropriate way.‚Äù
   Champion said the committee charged with reworking the ordinance has not yet been assembled and there are no set deadlines for when the ordinance will return.