Rental Housing Program Updates

Welcome to the Rental Housing Program Revamp

The City of Frostburg is committed to ensuring that rental housing within the city is safe, well-maintained, and meets the needs of both property owners and tenants. As part of our efforts to improve the Rental Housing Program, we are in the process of revamping the program to make it more effective, user-friendly, and responsive to the needs of our rental housing community.

Why We Are Making Changes

Our current Rental Housing Program, which serves a significant portion of Frostburg’s residents, is due for a revamp to address evolving community needs, improve operational efficiency, and ensure that both landlords and tenants benefit from a more streamlined, clear, and supportive experience.

The main objectives of the revamp include:

Improving the efficiency and transparency of the rental licensing and inspection processes.
Enhancing communication and outreach to better inform property owners and tenants about their rights, responsibilities, and program requirements.
Increasing housing quality and ensuring safe and habitable living conditions for all renters in Frostburg.
Building stronger relationships between the City, rental property owners, and tenants to create a positive, collaborative environment.

What’s Happening Now

We are in the process of gathering valuable input from property owners, agents, and tenants to guide the updates to the Rental Housing Program. This feedback will help us understand your experiences with the current program and determine where changes are needed.

We are evaluating various aspects of the program, including:

The licensing and renewal process
Inspection procedures
The clarity of program guidelines and communication
Online payment options and digital tools
Program outreach and education for landlords and tenants

How You Can Get Involved

We want to hear from you! Your feedback will directly influence the changes we make. Please take a few minutes to complete our Rental Housing Program Survey to share your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. This survey will help us identify areas for improvement and understand what matters most to you.

Take the Survey Now
Survey Deadline: April 25, 2025
Estimated Completion Time: 10-15 minutes
All responses will remain confidential.

The survey is open to all property owners and owner's agents, and your participation is key to making sure the program works for everyone.

What Changes Are Being Considered?

Some of the potential updates under consideration include:

Transitioning to a more integrated, digital system to handle rental licensing, renewals, and inspections.
Offering online payments and streamlining the license renewal process to save time for landlords.
Bringing inspections in-house to improve consistency and reduce delays.
Updating the Rental Housing Ordinance to ensure clear guidelines for maintenance, inspections, and lead certification requirements.
Introducing educational programs and resources for landlords and tenants to improve awareness and compliance with housing regulations.

These are just a few ideas we are exploring. The feedback we receive will guide the direction of these changes and help us create a more effective program.

Timeline for Changes

We are moving forward with a phased approach to implement the updates. Here’s what you can expect:

Phase 1 (March 1 through June 30, 2025): Program audit, staff training, transition to new technology, and the beginning of public outreach.
Phase 2 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026): Implementation of in-house inspections, online payments, and tracking of key performance indicators.
Phase 3 (July 1, 2026 and beyond): Continuous improvements based on the success of the new system and feedback from stakeholders.