05-25-2005 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

REJournals.com - Rental ordinances put landlords in a tough position Page 6 of 7 8l- rental licensing ordinance, but the issue never came to a vote, says council member Liz Workman. Like Anoka, Burnsville does not charge a rental licensing fee. Workman says she believes Burnsville's property maintenance ordinance serves the same purpose. "If there is a problem, we're not going to penalize people for calling the police and asking for help," Workman says. "We do have one community where service calls have increased and the city is planning on having a sit -down with them." The city of West St. Paul is focusing on problem tenants. Last year, Officer Dan Lindstrom of the West St. Paul police department noted that a majority of the city's nuisance calls were coming from rental properties, and often from the same few units. He proposed, and the city accepted, a policy under which the lease holder receives a letter in the mail after the first nuisance call. A copy of the letter is sent to the property manager. After the second call, the lease holder is charged with criminal public nuisance, a misdemeanor. Nuisance calls refer to such things as loud parties, fights and disorderly conduct. Domestic assaults and other calls for help are not counted. West St. Paul also requires tenants to sign a crime -free lease, stating that if they use an apartment to facilitate a crime, they can be evicted immediately. Lindstrom says it is too early to review the results. But he says his unscientific observations indicate the program is reducing nuisance calls. "We've got excellent working relationships with our building owners and managers," Lindstrom says. As long as they are willing to do this, we see no reason to penalize them." Jessica Griffith is a St. Paul -based freelance writer, by Jessica Giffith http: / /www.mrej.com /story.cfin ?Market= MN &StoryID =12080 10/15/2003