LEWISTON — The city is looking for volunteers to serve on its newly formed Housing Committee, aimed at providing an official layer of oversight to housing safety issues.

The council approved the standing Housing Committee in early September, following months of fine-tuning and disagreement among elected officials over the makeup of its members. But its origins go back years based on the volume of housing concerns in Lewiston, culminating in a recommendation this spring from a previous ad hoc committee.

That committee, originally tasked with considering a citywide rental registration program, instead rolled out a comprehensive report on housing safety, which among other steps, called for implementing a permanent housing committee.

According to the ordinance passed by the council, the Housing Committee is charged with “advising the City Council on the full range of housing issues facing the community with the goal of ensuring the quality and safety of the city’s residential housing stock, expanding the diversity of housing options and types, and providing safe and healthy housing alternatives for current and future residents of every socioeconomic status.”

This week, City Clerk Kathy Montejo said applications to serve on the committee have been light so far, but officials are confident people will step up.

Mayor Kristen Cloutier said Tuesday that several people have approached her about serving, and that the permanent committee was a necessary move for Lewiston.

“Given the need for safe and affordable housing across the state, as well as the issues we have had locally around housing and childhood lead poisoning, it only makes sense for a city the size of Lewiston to have a committee dedicated to researching those issues and making comprehensive recommendations to address them moving forward,” she said.

However, prior to the council’s approval, it spent months debating the makeup of the new committee, including whether to limit its members to Lewiston residents.

Ultimately, the committee ordinance states, “Committee members shall reside in Lewiston unless a qualified Lewiston resident cannot be found who is able to accept appointment to fill a specific position.”

The committee will have 12 members, including two owners of multiunit properties; two tenants of multiunit properties; two Lewiston homeowners; a representative of a financial institution with a presence in Lewiston; a residential developer or real estate professional; and a representative of an agency or firm that owns or operates a multiunit property providing affordable or senior housing.

According to the ordinance, all other members will be representatives of the City Council, the previous ad hoc committee and/or the LA Public Health Committee.

Cloutier on Tuesday applauded the council for taking “the necessary time to dig into the makeup and purpose of the committee.”

“I plan to take the thoughts of my fellow councilors into account when making appointments and hope they will take mine into account when being asked to confirm those appointments,” she said. “The committee will be stronger for having had a substantive debate around its formation.”

Earlier this month, the council also approved a non-fee-based rental registration program for multiunit buildings that will begin in 2020. Supporters have said a registration program will provide the city with up-to-date contact information and other necessary data to boost communication with code enforcement and safety efforts.

Officials, voting unanimously, called the ordinance a compromise after discussions on a potential rental registration program lasted more than a year.

According to the ordinance, the owner, business operator or property manager will submit a registration application for each multifamily building before March 1 of each year. Any person failing to register a multifamily building will be subject to a civil penalty enforced by the Code Enforcement Office and a fine as established by the City Council.

According to a previous news release from the city clerk’s office, residents who are interested in applying for the Housing Committee can contact the clerk’s office to complete an application. Application forms are also available on the city’s website. The deadline to submit applications is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27.

According to Montejo, staff support for the committee will be provided by the Economic and Community Development department. The committee will establish the meeting time and place once appointed.

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