Inspections Program Reveals Violations in 96% of Amherst Rental Properties. Still No DPW Employee on Building Committee
Photo: istock
Report on the Meeting of the Amherst Town Council, May 18, 2026
By Maura Keene
This was a hybrid meeting held in Town Hall and was recorded.
Present
Mandi Jo Hanneke (President, at large), Jill Brevik and Cathy Schoen (District 1), Amber Cano-Martin and Lynn Griesemer (District 2), Hala Lord and George Ryan (District 3), Pam Rooney and Jennifer Taub (District 4), Ana Devlin Gauthier (District 5) and Andy Churchil (at large).
Absent: Sam MacLeod (District 5) and Ellisha Walker (at large)
Staff: Paul Bockelman (Town Manager) and Athena O’Keeffe (Council Clerk)
Highlights
- New Inspection Program Finds Many Violations Among Amherst Rental Properties
- Council Agrees to Hold Listening Session on Town Government Issues
- Still No DPW Employee on Building Committee
- Public Comment Reveals Different Visions for Amherst Housing
- Proclamations Highlight June Events
- Hampshire College Update
- Tribute to Connie Kruger
- Councilors Read Nakba Remembrance Statement
New Inspection Program Finds Many Violations Among Amherst Rental Properties
According to Building Commissioner Rob Morra, the first months of the Town’s residential inspection program revealed code violations in 96% of the 150 units inspected. Many of these were minor violations, such as loose, deteriorated or missing siding, doors not latching properly or other hardware issues affecting security, damaged or blocked dryer vents, abandoned oil tanks in need of proper disposal, peeling paint, severely worn flooring, or faulty appliances. However, 43% of the properties had serious violations, including electrical hazards, dangerous water temperatures, faulty smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, or broken or missing handrails. Serious violations must be corrected within 24 hours to seven days, depending on the violation. Two properties had evidence of violating the Zoning Bylaw limitation on no more than four unrelated occupants per unit.
Unlike scheduled inspections referenced above, those initiated by tenant complaints undergo a thorough sanitary code inspection. If other issues are noted outside the specific complaint, they are also addressed.
The Residential Rental Property bylaw was adopted by the Town Council in April of 2024. The aim was to implement new inspection requirements and strengthen the existing permitting system. According to the bylaw, the town would hire additional inspectors in order to conduct routine inspections of 20% of the 1,300 rental properties (5,600 units) each year. Prior to the implementation of the program, inspections were conducted only after complaints were filed by residents or abutters. In February, Town Councilors Cathy Schoen and Pam Rooney requested a report on the progress of the program.
Full implementation has been hampered by the retirement of the lead Code Enforcement Officer, a position that is still vacant. There are two Code Enforcement Officers currently, but the second just started working this week. A Program Assistant was hired in March 2025.
In FY 2026, the rental registration program has thus far collected $326,000 in permit fees and $23,100 in inspection fees. Inspection fees to be collected in FY2027 with two inspectors are anticipated to be $72,000. A possible result of the program were the 78 additional rental permits issued. Morra said the department tries to make sure all rental properties are registered.
The inspection program was meant to be financially self-supporting. The lack of full staffing makes that aspect difficult to evaluate. The program is partially supported by the section of the town’s strategic agreement with UMass that supports safe and healthy housing.
The report states, “Overall, the response from owners and managers has been positive with efforts made to gain compliance in all cases. No serious objections have been made and no formal appeals have been filed. Inspection Services has not issued any fines nor taken formal enforcement actions for noncompliance.” Morra added that, through the inspections, the town is gathering more information about the properties.
Council Agrees to Hold Listening Session on Town Government Issues
The 2024 Charter Review Committee issued its final report on recommended changes to the Amherst Home Rule Town Charter in January. The report contains an appendix listing suggestions about changes in town government raised during the charter review that were outside of the purview of the review. Many of these changes would require a new charter commission. Because they were raised in the Charter Review Committee’s public outreach, Councilor Jill Brevik advocated for additional discussion on these items.
The council decided by a 9-2 vote (Schoen and Council President Mandi Jo Hanneke voted no) to hold a listening session in the fall to discuss several of the issues raised. George Ryan said that it would also be valuable for councilors to raise these issues at district meetings.
The topics raised in the “Beyond the Charter” section of the Charter Review Committee report are:
- Lengthen and stagger the terms for elected offices
- Change Amherst to a mayor/council form of government
- Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Finance Committee Residence Members elected by a town vote
- Return to Town Meeting form of government
- Reduce the size of the Town Council
- Creation of a formal role of Community Participation Officer
Hanneke objected to holding a public discussion on issues that the council has no power to act on. Lynn Griesemer questioned who would facilitate a listening session and raised other logistical difficulties. She noted that the review committee had already spent over a year collecting feedback on the charter from residents, saying, “If I were the Charter Review Committee listening to this conversation, I would be so incredibly offended.”
Councilor Andy Churchill, who served on the Charter Review Committee, said that even though these issues were beyond the scope of what the council could approve, the committee heard enough about them that having a public session to discuss them might inspire some residents to take the initiative to advance one or more of them.
Still No DPW Employee on Building Committee
Councilor Amber Cano-Martin asked Town Manager Paul Bockelman why there is still no DPW employee on the DPW Building Committee as recommended by the council on April 6. She said it was her understanding that the DPW workers suggested Town Engineer Jason Skeels to represent them on the committee. Bockelman replied, “So I’m taking that into consideration, and we’ll get to that soon.” When pressed, he added, “There’s a lot of things going on with DPW right now that I’m trying to navigate through, so I don’t want to sort of disrupt anything. That’s what I’m going to say for now.”
Cano-Martin also stated that councilors Brevik, Ryan, Ellisha Walker, Jennifer Taub, and she had requested that Hanneke schedule an executive session for this meeting regarding the DPW union contract, which is still not settled. The request read, “We would like the opportunity to discuss this with the Town Manager with the hopes that it can be settled in a timely fashion that is acceptable to all parties.”
The following week, Hanneke replied, “At today’s agenda-setting meeting, Paul [Bockelman} indicated that if this appeared on the agenda and received a majority vote of the council, he would not attend the session. Without the manager in attendance, any executive session held for this purpose is not practicable. Therefore, I have not put this request on the upcoming May 18 council agenda.”
Cano-Martin pointed out that the Charter section 2.8C states that the council may require the Town Manager to provide specific information on any matter within its jurisdiction. “Due to the fact that Mandi Jo did not place it on the agenda for today, we cannot take that vote, which takes away our rights as councilors to democratically determine as to whether we believe an executive session should take place,“ she said. “Tonight, I’m asking President Hanneke to please live up to the promises of inclusivity and transparency that you made when you were running for president of the council. By twice shutting down the executive sessions on this topic, you have unilaterally decided for every council member whether or not we have the opportunity to hear from the Town Manager on this aspect of the business of the town.”
Public Comment Reveals Different Visions for Amherst Housing
After Beacon Communities withdrew its proposal to build 140 rental units for seniors and families in North Amherst, several commenters expressed a range of different views on the loss of that project for the town in the public comment period.
North Amherst resident Vincent O’Connor stated that Amherst has a UMass housing problem, not a housing problem per se. In his view, the problem stems from “UMass’s refusal to build affordable housing for its students. The public-private partnership [Fieldstone dormitory] is the most expensive place to live in Amherst, while opening the admission floodgates was a profoundly hostile act by UMass toward this community and the people who live here 12 months a year.” He continued, “The lawsuit filed against the project was not frivolous”, and added, “The one-year resident Planning Board member who lives in a house valued at $813,000 [decries] the six people who know more about this town than he ever will.” He suggested that no person be appointed to the Planning Board unless they have lived in Amherst at least five years prior to their appointment.
Planning Board member Jerah Smith again lamented the ending of the project as the
loss of our future neighbors” and pleaded with the town to do better in the future. He claimed that the loss of the project was a “moral outrage that didn’t need to happen but nobody, including myself, stood up for our future neighbors when six members [those who filed the lawsuit] of our community decided to close the door to them.” He characterized the potential residents of the project as retired teachers and young parents who can’t afford the expensive costs of owning a house in Amherst. [The Indy notes that homeowners who are downsizing would likely have too many assets to qualify for these affordable units].
Jason Dorney agreed that UMass was not helping solve its housing affordability problem, but that Amherst could only control what Amherst does. “We cannot sit here and hope that UMass comes in and saves us,” he said. “We have the ability to change zoning. We have the ability to affect affordability in our town, and that is our responsibility.” He admitted that the Beacon project wasn’t perfect, but the town should have the attitude to enable more housing to be built.
Planning Board and ZBA applicant Evan Naismith was harsher in his criticism of the ending of the project. He presented himself as a researcher on progressive housing solutions. He specifically criticized the Indy article on possible violation of the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bylaw for “publishing photographs, blueprints, and addresses of other people’s homes.” [Editor’s Note: The structures mentioned are ADUs under construction destined to be student rentals whose plans are part of the public record.] “We have frivolous lawsuits, veiled threats, and neighbors spying on neighbors, but the real victims are renters. Paul Bockelman is right. This situation is a travesty,” he said.
Two UMass students spoke to the council. Grad student Luz Rapoport cited minority and international students who are “targeted by predatory landlords.” She maintained that most of her classmates live in Springfield or Connecticut. “My hope, my request to you is that you work with UMass to hold landlords accountable, or just in general, hold landlords accountable. I especially have a problem with the private-public partnership (Fieldstone Apartments), as that rent is $2,000 for a studio.”
Ella Bilge called attention to several close calls between pedestrians and cars that she has witnessed at the roundabout at Triangle Street, East Pleasant Street and North Pleasant Street. She wanted to see lighted signals at pedestrian crossing points.
Proclamations Highlight June Events
The Council approved proclamations proclaiming Sunday, June 14 as Race Amity Day and Thursday, June 19th as the Juneteenth holiday. Race Amity Day will be celebrated along with the Youth Hero Awards at the Mill River Recreation area from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 14.
The month of June was also proclaimed as LGBTQ+ Pride month, with the LGBTQ flag-raising ceremony scheduled for Monday, June 1 at 5:30 p.m. and the Amherst Pride Parade and celebration scheduled for Saturday, June 28 from noon to 3 p.m.
Hampshire College Update
Bockelman informed the council that, after Hampshire College’s commencement on May 16, the campus is “pretty much all closed and locked.” He noted that the Trustees of Reservations and Kestrel Land Trust have partnered to submit a letter of interest to acquire part of the college, and that the town has been working with the Early Learning Center to find them a new location or fiscal sponsor. This latter effort is complicated by the fact that the employees of the center are all Hampshire College employees, so it is not easy to move the whole operation. However, the town is working with state legislators to preserve these services.
Also, the town is trying to secure some technical assistance from the state as to what kind of zoning opportunities could help develop the land, but the college has fiscal restraints in its obligations to banks that will influence what types of proposals it would prioritize.
Bockelman emphasized, “It’s a very fluid process, and things seem to change on a daily basis.”
Hanneke Pays Tribute to Connie Kruger
Hanneke noted the recent death of Connie Kruger and recognized her contributions to Amherst. She said, “Connie Kruger was a force for good in Amherst. She served Amherst for decades, first as a town planner on staff, then as a member of the Amherst Housing Authority, the Board of Assessors, the Housing and Sheltering Committee, Town Meeting, Planning Board, and the Select Board. She was a tireless advocate for addressing Amherst’s housing affordability challenges, building affordable housing, and planning for Amherst’s future development. She and her spouse Susan were one of the first same-sex couples married in Amherst after the state legalized same-sex marriage, and she regularly reflected on the town’s support and celebration of that ruling and the day we were able to accept licenses for same-sex marriages. Amherst and its residents benefited greatly from her love of the town and her fierce advocacy. She will be missed.”
Councilors Read Nakba Remembrance Statement
Councilors Brevik, Cano-Martin, Walker, and Devlin Gauthier gave a statement in remembrance of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, which was marked on May 15. The Nakba is the term used to refer to the eviction of Palestinians from their homeland in order to create the State of Israel.
Leyla Moushabeck and Esther Azar also drew attention to that event. Moushabeck noted that the Nakba is not a single event, but is occurring to this day. Its commemoration is “a symptom of the same racist, oppressive systems eroding civil rights and social infrastructure in our own communities. There are direct material connections between Israel’s atrocities and our tax dollars that fund them.” She called for action against genocide everywhere. Azar told of her upbringing as a conservative Zionist Jew who had never heard of the Nakba. She drew parallels between the treatment of native populations in the creation of both the United States and the state of Israel.