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<br />A question was asked about the total number of complaints received each year by the <br />City, for the two complaints listed above. The response was approximately 40 <br />complaints. Of those complaints, a majority are corrected "quickly" with only a small <br />number of complaints that eventually reach the courts. <br /> <br />There was discussion about these complaints and how to address them. Mr. Kunkel <br />stated that in order to park on campus the student would need to have a sticker placed in <br />the car. That sticker has a number identifying the student. A call could be placed to the <br />Student life services at Bethel to identify them if there was a problem at the property. <br /> <br />Mr. Nagel stated that implementing a rental licensing program created a whole new larger <br />issue related to staffing and cost. He questioned the need to implement a rental licensing <br />program just to address the parking and occupancy levels in a single family home. <br /> <br />Mr. Caldwell stated that the concern was owner occupied homes were better maintained. <br />Renters are not concerned with the value of the home. <br /> <br />Mr. Larson stated that he did not believe that the City lnd a rental problem here. He <br />stated that many cities have adopted rental licensing programs to address much larger <br />concerns and a significantly larger number of rental properties, single family and multi <br />family. Many cities have adopted rental licensing to not only address declining property <br />values, but drug related problems. He felt that what the City needed was better, timelier <br />prosecution. You need to have prompt resolution to the violation, within 30 days. <br /> <br />Ms. Schmidt stated that prosecutions for property maintenance do take a long time to <br />resolve. The Ramsey county courts are usually backed up two to three months. <br /> <br />Mr. Caldwell stated that he was concerned about the number of town homes being <br />converted into rental properties and how best to address it. <br /> <br />Sgt. Otto stated that he did not believe that the conversion of townhome rentals was a <br />City problem and could be addressed by the HOA. <br /> <br />Ms. Aplikowksi stated that she saw this as a three year program. The City needed to start <br />communication and education with residents about the City regulations, using the <br />newsletter, web site and other educational materials such as pamphlets or brochures. She <br />stated that the City needed to work with the colleges to improve education and <br />communication between students living off campus and the City. She asked if the City <br />could possibly create an ordinance with more teeth to it and stiffer consequences for <br />nuisance type violations, using such tools as abatement to handle situations where the <br />property is not brought into compliance in a timely manner. <br /> <br />Ms. Schmidt stated that may be possible, but the City was still limited in the abatement <br />process and what it could actually regulate. <br /> <br />2 <br />