Don’t Let a Lame-Duck Council Gut Greensboro’s Housing Protections
A Last-Minute Power Grab Threatens Tenant Safety; Stop the Vote
The proposed amendment to strip the Minimum Housing Standards Commission (MHSC) of its core powers on November 18, 2025 is a grave threat to Greensboro’s commitment to fair and just housing for all, and it should not be rushed through by a lame-duck Council. This decision is far too consequential to be made by outgoing members who will not be accountable for its long-term impact.
Before any vote takes place to weaken the MHSC’s authority, the City should launch a full internal investigation into the conduct of staff, elected officials, and any parties involved in the alleged retaliation. No responsible government should remake a commission’s powers while credible claims of retaliation and political interference remain unresolved.
The changes are supported by TREBIC (The Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition), The same organization that successfully lobbied for the state law that killed Greensboro’s proactive Rental Unit Certificate of Occupancy (RUCO) program in 2013, a program that could have prevented the very conditions the MHSC now struggles to address.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan and City Manager Trey Davis at a TREBIC function;
TREBIC’s support for these changes is no surprise, given the organization’s long history of shaping Greensboro’s housing policy to benefit major real estate interests. With much of the current Council aligned with or influenced by TREBIC-backed priorities, the push to weaken the MHSC looks less like reform and more like the latest chapter in a pattern of industry-driven policymaking at the public’s expense.
Former City Attorney Chuck Watts with City Manager Trey Davis at a different TREBIC function;
Public Integrity Watch calls on Greensboro leaders to wait for the newly elected City Council to take office before voting on any measure that would remove the Commission’s authority to study rental rates or conduct vital inspections. These powers are not bureaucratic technicalities, they are the foundation of tenant protection, housing equity and accountability.
The MHSC functions as a watchdog, ensuring that landlords meet minimum legal standards and that renters are not subjected to unsafe conditions or unjustified rent hikes. Removing the Commission’s ability to inspect properties and analyze rental market data would severely weaken its oversight role and open the door to widespread violations, disproportionately harming low-income families and vulnerable communities.
Decades of evidence show that inspections reduce hazards and compel compliance. Rental-rate studies empower policymakers with real data, enabling thoughtful, fact-based decisions that balance tenant affordability with landlord fairness. Eliminating these essential tools would leave tenants exposed and uninformed, undermining the very purpose of the Commission.
Political motivations should never override community safety. Attempting to push through a fundamental restructuring of the MHSC under the guise of “updating outdated duties” is deceptive and reckless. Such a major change demands scrutiny from a Council that has just been chosen by the voters — not one on its way out the door.
Greensboro deserves a transparent, accountable process. We urge City Council to pause, respect the will of the electorate, and allow the newly seated members to weigh in on the future of the Minimum Housing Standards Commission. Our community’s health, equity, and safety depend on it.
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