ELi and the Lansing Area League of Women Voters to Hold Program on Proposed Charter Amendment

At the Nov. 5 General Election, East Lansing residents will decide whether or not to vote in favor of Proposal 1, a proposed city charter amendment that impacts local housing and rental regulations. 

Since a group of residents began gathering signatures to place the charter amendment on the ballot in the spring, there have been debates about the impact it would have. 

Opponents have said the amendment would overturn the city’s rental regulations and rental restriction districts. Those in favor of the amendment say it keeps regulations in place for rent paying tenants and rental restriction districts, but protects the right of homeowners to have long term guests who do not pay rent. 

Still unsure about how to vote on Proposal 1? We’re here to help. ELi and the Lansing Area League of Women Voters are hosting a program on the proposed amendment. The program will include a speaker in favor of the amendment and a speaker against the amendment explaining their stances. 

The program will feature Kathy Swedlow, an attorney who helped form a community group that is urging residents to vote against the amendment.

Speaking in favor of the amendment will be Mark Grebner, an attorney, Ingham County commissioner and one of the leaders of the group that drafted the proposed amendment. 

For a more complete picture of the ongoing debate and how we got here, read ELi’s past coverage of the proposed charter amendment. 

Still have questions? We want to hear them. Use this form to submit your questions about the proposed charter amendment. Your questions will help guide what is asked to participants at the program. 

The program will be recorded virtually without an audience on Oct. 4 and shared widely soon after it is completed.

UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect the group in favor of Prop 1’s decision to have Grebner speak instead of Patrick Rose.