By CHRIS COLLINS
(Greenfield, MA) — Landlords in the city of Greenfield may soon have to clear an additional hurdle to re-rent their properties. City Council Ways and Means Committee Chairman Otis Wheeler has drafted a new ordinance which would require that any rental property which becomes vacant be subject to a health inspection before it can be rented to someone else. The regulation would not apply to owner-occupied rental space. The inspection would have to be paid for by the landlord. Wheeler says the measure is intended to protect the safety of renters in Greenfield. The proposal will be referred to the council’s subcommittee on Appointments and Ordinances for further consideration.