Planning for the Williamsburg Renters Welcoming Committee is underway to provide an avenue of support and assistance for renters in Williamsburg.
Chairmen of the Neighborhood Council of Williamsburg Bill Talley and Jim Joseph are co-chairing the committee, which remains in the beginning stages of planning.
“We are working on a mission statement and canvassing for members right now,” Talley said.
The objective of the committee is to give renters the means to become active members of the neighborhoods in which they reside. Talley stated that the initial focus is on student renter involvement.
“This will eventually become a voluntary program for any renter,” he said.
Participation in the committee will allow student renters to access helpful information in house upkeep. Renters would learn how to handle their mail, protect their homes when absent for long periods of time, establish acceptable processes for holding parties, as well as other vital renting measures.
“It will be a positive beneficial aspect for people who are renting in our neighborhoods for things that they don’t necessarily think about,” Talley said.
Talley emphasized the separation between the Williamsburg Renters Welcoming Committee and the city focus group that, once formed, will advise the planning commission on the city’s controversial three-person rule.
“We will not be dealing with issues on the three-person rule,” Talley said.
The committee is expected to be up and running by May for incoming student renters in the fall.
