To whom it may concern,
T
he signers of this petition call on the City of Madison to instate an Energy Burden Rental Transparency Ordinance. This ordinance would require landlords in the city to disclose energy costs to prospective tenants. In cities where this ordinance is in place, tenants have been more likely to choose the more energy efficient housing.
Particularly on campus, students are looking for affordable and energy efficient housing. This will enhance renter knowledge of the costs of energy and living.
Current Wisconsin law forbids cities from enacting an ordinance that requires landlords to communicate to tenants any information that is not required to be communicated to tenants under federal or state law. As a result, this would not impact those that are already renting, but rather, give prospective tenants the power to choose housing that is more energy efficient and, therefore, better for the environment.
Sincerely,
The UW Madison CLEAN Team and Environmentally-Minded Citizens of Madison
