In the past two years former city councilor Daniel Clinton has missed some of the hottest debates between two council factions struggling over the fate of the city's rent control system and strict ordinances prohibiting the conversion of rent controlled apartments to condominiums.

But Clinton, who placed third among all council candidates in last week's city-wide elections, will return in January to the council chambers, replacing fellow Independent and anti-rent control voice Kevin Crane '73, who did not seek re-election.

And the Cambridgeport resident, who first won election to the council in 1970 and lost--after serving four terms--by only about 100 votes, was a member of the council when rent control was first adopted. He says now that the system has run amok since he voted for its adoption.

"When I voted for rent control, it was supposed to be for the poor and the elderly," Clinton says. "But now some property owners are forced to rent their apartments to professionals who are making $60,000 a year."

Clinton claims that although several recent studies have revealed significant problems in the rent control bureaucracy, rent control supporters "throw them away; I suppose they're afraid to look at the facts."

But the 44-year-old Cambridge native and former resident of public housing emphasizes that "I'm not headstrong on any issue," including opposition to controls on condominium conversion. "If it turns out that poor and elderly are getting thrown out" because of condominium development, "I could be flexible," he says.

Clinton favors giving acting city manager Robert Healy a chance to prove himself capable of the permanent post as head of the Cambridge administration, before embarking on a costly and time-consuming search for a replacement. "Healy has been here training for almost eight years as assistant city manager, and I think he deserves a try," Clinton said.