Williamsburg won’t move forward with a plan to vet off-campus student rentals after it received tepid feedback from landlords.
“There has been great support, but it seems like it's waning,” Mayor Doug Pons said during Monday’s council meeting. “Certainly don’t want to jump into a program that’s not going to be successful.
The Rent Ready program has been on the city’s priority list since 2021, one of several ideas forwarded by a committee in 2019 to foster a better neighborhood balance in communities around William & Mary.
It was proposed as a voluntary certification and education program that could help ensure Williamsburg’s rental stock is safe and habitable for student residents and that tenants and landlords understood their rights and responsibilities.
The city created a draft of the program in 2025 before holding a series of public meetings. A majority of those who attended or filled out surveys were pessimistic that Rent Ready would work as planned. The same participants, however, believed it was important that the city does something to ensure better off-campus housing.
City Council on Monday grappled with how to incentivize skeptical landlords to participate. Some rental owners worried about the costs, possible penalties and increased oversight and inspections, according to feedback heard by Tevya Griffin, planning director.
Council Member Barbara Ramsey was disappointed. She’s heard horror stories from students renting in her neighborhood.
“I know of a house where the parents would not let their children rent because of the filth and evidence of rats,” she said. “These are things that I had hoped that we might address with Rent Ready.”
Council intends to continue conversations about rental quality during its biennial goals planning this year.
Council Member Ayanna Williams, the only student on the board, said “based on the input we have received and these conversations that we’ve had, I think it presents us a unique time to take a step back and ensure that what we are pursuing is the most effective and broadly supported by all members of our community.”
