La Crosse Ponders Moratorium On Converting Homes Into Rentals

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La Crosse’s mayor has proposed a moratorium on converting certain homes into rental properties.

About 50 percent of the homes in La Crosse are rentals. There have been countless discussions on how to better regulate them and encourage more homeownership.

La Crosse’s Neighborhood Revitalization Commission unanimously supported Mayor Tim Kabat’s proposal to temporarily stop converting single-family homes into rental properties. The moratorium would last for at least a year.

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Any home can be converted into a rental. The city requires a landlord registers that property, although La Crosse officials say some do not.

Commission Vice Chairman Andrew Londre says the moratorium would give city leaders and landlords time to develop better standards.

“A lot of times these rental properties are being converted by landlords who don’t have the best of intentions. Rental properties bring in a whole host of issues that are entirely different from what most people are used to dealing with.”

One example is the rise of college students moving into more traditional family neighborhoods.

Pamela Strittmater is the President of the Apartment Association of the La Crosse Area. She says the moratorium will have a negative effect on the responsible landlords. Plus, some people have a hard time selling their home and decide to rent.

“Is anyone going to want to buy a house in the city of La Crosse if they run into a situation where they can’t sell it or they can’t rent it? Or are they going to take that risk and go elsewhere?”

The city’s legal department is still looking into the issue and will soon send a proposal to the City Council.