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Fairfax County’s Tenant-Landlord Commission could soon be abolished after years of vacancies, canceled meetings and limited activity.
The Board of Supervisors has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, March 18, when it will likely vote on the advisory panel’s future. Established in 1971, the commission is intended to provide objective and fair assistance to tenants and landlords.
The commission is authorized to have 10 members appointed by supervisors: three representing tenants, three representing landlords and four representing the public. Only three seats are currently filled, according to county staff—two by tenant representatives and one by a public representative.
Quorum problems have repeatedly disrupted its work. Just 22 of 48 planned meetings took place over the past four years, and the commission sent only one recommendation to the Board of Supervisors during that period.
County staff said the Department of Cable and Consumer Services and other agencies could take over many of the panel’s duties. In a report prepared for the supervisors’ Feb. 18 meeting, staff predicted abolishing the commission would cause no loss of engagement, representation or governance for Fairfax County tenants and landlords.
Hunter Mill Supervisor Walter Alcorn raised concerns about losing the community perspective that advisory panels can provide. When functioning well, he said, such groups can examine how policy changes affect people in practice and generate ideas that may not originate with county employees.
“I just want to make sure we don’t lose the policy piece,” Alcorn said. “Sometimes the changes don’t come from staff. Sometimes they come from the community.”
Still, Alcorn acknowledged that eliminating the commission probably made sense given its lack of activity in recent years.
Rebecca Makely, director of the Department of Cable and Community Services, said staff members regularly review tenant-landlord policies and coordinate with other departments to offer feedback and recommendations to county leaders.
The possible elimination follows a broader examination of Fairfax County’s more than 80 advisory boards, authorities and commissions. Supervisors authorized that review last year to determine whether each body’s mission remained relevant, and the Tenant-Landlord Commission was among those flagged for concern.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay said the county should build stronger relationships with Fairfax organizations advocating for tenants’ rights while continuing to seek input from staff.
Arlington County and Alexandria maintain tenant-landlord groups that advise their leadership. Most other nearby local governments do not appear to have comparable commissions, based on information posted on their websites.