City Councilor Calls for Amendment to City Residency Requirements

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The residency issue is once again at the forefront of Buffalo lawmakers’ minds.

Lovejoy District Councilman Bryan Bollman wants the city’s law department to draft an ordinance to change the residency requirements.

Currently, applicants must establish residency in the city within six months and there are no exceptions except in special circumstances. Bollman would like to see a one-year waiver for residency.

“We heard in our finance committee that some of our auditors were having difficulty finding auditors in the comptroller’s office and so this would be a tool in our toolbox to help us attract the best talent and fill the positions,” he said.

According to the resolution, which will now be in the hands of the city’s law department and civil service committee, “the current job and housing market creates the need for an update to the structure of the residency waiver policy.”

In doing so, Bollman believes recruiting efforts will be strengthened.

Denver, Portland, Columbus, Las Vegas and Detroit have increased flexibility in their requirements for public sector jobs to increase the number of qualified applicants and improve their recruiting efforts, according to the lawmaker’s resolution.