Policy Students Shepherd College Park Legislation to End Early Lease-Renewal Push

Nick DiSpirito ’27 was less than three months into his lease with friends at a College Park Towers apartment, but it might well have been the 11th hour. The landlord urged them in November to re-sign for the following academic year or he’d start marketing it—possibly at a higher rent. 

“This pressure was very stressful and made us feel like we had no choice or power over where we could live,” he recalled. 

The early scramble for University of Maryland students to lock in local off-campus housing for the following year—sometimes just weeks after moving in—is coming to an end. Following efforts by DiSpirito and fellow School of Public Policy major Amira Abujuma ’27, the College Park City Council unanimously passed an ordinance last month to prevent landlords from offering a lease renewal until 180 days before the current lease ends. For many students whose leases begin in August, that means renewal offers cannot be made until February.

“It is patently unfair to expect any tenant, but especially a student tenant, to sign a contract for next year as soon as they move in,” said former council member John Rigg. “Continuing to permit it in our city was bad for tenants, and I believe also bad for landlords, many of whom ultimately supported (or did not oppose) the legislation. I commend the intrepid and thoughtful student tenant-advocates for their advocacy."

In their roles as student liaisons to the city of College Park, DiSpirito and Abujuma collaborated with Rigg and the city’s attorney, Stephanie Anderson, to develop the proposal. More than 30 tenants spoke in support of it at a November meeting, and even some landlords did the same the following month. While early drafts focused primarily on student housing, the feedback led to revisions so the rule would apply across the city.

Students who receive a renewal offer earlier than the 180-day window can report it to the city, which can enforce the ordinance and issue fines of $500 for the first offense and $2,500 for additional ones.Tenants who want to renew earlier may still do so, but landlords cannot ask them to waive their rights under the law.

DiSpirito said the experience reflected many of the ideas he studies in his policy courses, particularly the need to work with different stakeholders when shaping legislation. “This law ended up gaining bipartisan support from both students and landlords because we made the effort to talk to both sides of the aisle,” he said.

Sean Woolums is managing partner of College Living Property Management, which rents homes throughout College Park. He said the ordinance ensures that students have more time to consider their options. 

“At the same time, the ordinance preserves landlords’ ability to market their properties and operate their businesses in a predictable way,” he said. 

For Abujuma, a double-degree student in computer engineering, it was an example of how community advocacy can shape policy. “Your elected officials are your representatives, and it is our job as policy students to let them know about the problems plaguing our communities,” she said. “We have more power to create change than we realize. As long as we show up, use our voices and be persistent, we can transform our communities for the better.”