The Cambridge City Council approved on Monday twin ordinances aimed to take on blight in the city's housing stock.
After a lengthy debate, the council unanimously passed measures that would establish registration and licensing requirements for vacant residential properties.
For the first time, the city will have authority to conduct code compliance inspections inside houses and apartment buildings, which owners of run-down properties have previously been able to simply refuse in order to avoid citations and substantial fines.
And in an unrelated incident after the public meeting, council president Sputty Cephas charged into the street to accost a resident who had spoken out against the council's policy of conducting religious invocations at the beginning of its sessions.
Brett Summers, who sponsored the ordinance to combat commercial buildings that leave vacant and marring the city's downtown business districts, said he believes the ordinances will be an important step to upgrade Cambridge over time
"Both of them are important ordinances. The one that dealt with inspections is long time coming. I was glad we got that passed," Summers said. "If you're a landlord that's not going to take care of your property and you used to think you could come to Cambridge and just get by with substandard housing and charge rents, that's not going to be the case anymore. And that's a good message and a good policy to have in place."
Much of the discussion centered on trying to establish how city administrators would define “vacant”. Some commissioners advocated for simply listing exceptions to the vacant home registration requirement – vacation homes, second homes, homes undergoing cosmetic renovations.
But City Manager Glenn Steckman and Summers pointed out that unscrupulous violators could simply say that their vacant property was a vacation home to avoid registration and inspections.
In the end, the commissioners agreed that residential buildings that are uninhabitable due to conditions including a lack of water or electrical service or major structural damage would constitute a vacant dwelling.
In addition, commissioners passed measures against so-called “nuisance properties” – typically, apartment buildings where disturbance calls to police number three or more incidents in 90 days. In such cases, rental property owners who allow disruptive tenants to stay would be fined.
The commissioners passed the ordinances unanimously, but directed city staff to separately figure out terms for licensing and fines. Violations would cost offenders $500 the first day and $1,000 a day for each subsequent day violations continued, according to city staff reports.
According to the residential ordinance, houses and apartment buildings left vacant have 30 days to register with the city, and 30 days for those who the city notifies that their properties are considered vacant.
After the discussions around the vacant building ordinances, Victoria Dowling, as Cambridge resident, criticized Mayor Lajan Cephas and the council during public comments. Dowling said the city was inviting lawsuits by conducting religious invocations at the beginning of city council meetings.
"It appears that you, Madam Mayor, and all but one of the commissioners have a significant blind spot when it comes to religion and the harm it can cause when opposed to civic authority," Dowling said.
During the council’s closing comments, the mayor cited Wicomico County’s policy as an acknowledgment that Cambridge leaders were on firm ground. She said anyone from any religion, or of now religion, was welcome to speak at the start of Cambridge City Council meetings.
When his turn for closing remarks came, Sputty Cephas addressed the comments Dowling made.
"I will make a statement and it says, "I am unapologetic in my faith. My beliefs are important, are an important part of who I am, as they guide the values which I serve and live. At the same time, I have a deep respect for the beliefs and traditions of others. We live in a diverse community where people practice many different faiths or none at all, and that diversity deserves to be honored. If someone from a different faith offers a prayer, ritual, expression of belief that I may personally disagree with, I will still respect their right to practice it. Respect for one another's freedom or conscious is one of the principles that makes our community and our nation strong," Sputty Cephas said.
As he spoke, Dowling called out from the audience. The mayor urged her brother to ignore Dowling and continue.
Minutes later, the council voted to go into closed session, and the audience began leaving the building. The council president appeared, running from the side of the council chambers into Gay Street, pursuing Dowling as she got into her car. Cephas shouted at her, including repeatedly, “In the name of Jesus, how about that!”
Dowling shouted back, and closed the door to her car. At that point, Cephas turned back and returned to council chambers.