Agenda Packets - 2020/12/07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 02 Meeting Date: Dec 7, 2020 Type of Business: WS City Administrator Review: of Mounds View Staff R To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Jon Sevald, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Rental Housing License Renewal Update Rental License Renewal Status A Rental License is required to allow to be occupied any rental dwelling in Mounds View.' In 2020, the City licensed about 1,800 units to 273 owners. Units D/blda. # of licenses <2 131 2-3 48 4-6 31 7-9 10 10+ 52 Licenses are valid January 1st thru December 31st. License renewals are due November 30t", and require; a complete application; property taxes and 3Id quarter city utility bills to be paid (also due November 30t"), and compliance with the State Fire Code. Thus far, about 30% of license renewals are late, compared to 29% at this time last year. As of December 1st: No Incomplete Unpaid Unpaid Unpaid 3,d Unresolved Licensees Application Application Rental Property Quarter Housing / Fire with Submitted License Taxes Utility Bills Code Violation problems Fee 58 0 0 5 28 1 79 As of Monday, January 4, 2021, unlicensed rental owners will be fined 10% of their license fee (minimum of $100). Previously, fees were doubled 2. Administrative Offenses will be issued on or about; 30-days ($150), 60-days ($300), and 90-days ($450), after January 1st If the owner participates in our Crime Free Multi -Family Housing program (was suspended in 2020, due to COVID), they may obtain 20% - 50% discount on license fees, and "free" police reports. There is a small number of owners who participate. Eviction Moratorium Governor Walz suspended evections during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency, beginning March 24, 2020 thru the duration of the Peacetime Emergency.3 This moratorium excludes evictions due to tenants' use or possession of unlawful controlled substances, prostitution, City Code, Section 1012.13, Subd 1(b); Exceptions: A rental dwelling license is not required for residences occupied by the owner where no more than two (2) sleeping rooms are rented and the renters have access to the entire residence, or for residences occupied only by the owner's children or parents. As of Dec 1, 2019, 16% of rental owners made no attempt to apply by the deadline, resulting in double fees totaling $11,000. This is in comparison to 12% of 2019 property owners who were late on utility bills, resulting in a 10% fee penalty. Based on this comparison, Staff concluded that the double fee penalty did not serve as a "deterrent", thus, the late fee was reduced from 100% to 10% (minimum of $100) in the 2021 Fee Ordinance. Late fees are not intended to be a revenue generator for the City. State of Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz, Emergency Executive Order 20-14; Suspending Evictions and Writs of Recovery During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency, March 23, 2020.