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HRA Meeting <br />Minutes – September 13, 2011 <br />Page 2 <br />1 <br />Motion: Member Pust moved, seconded by Member Lee to approve the Consent Agenda <br />2 <br />as presented. <br />3 <br />4 <br />Ayes: 5 <br />5 <br />Nays: 0 <br />6 <br />Motion carried. <br />7 <br />8 <br />7.Public Hearings <br />9 <br />None <br />10 <br />11 <br />8.Presentations <br />12 <br />13 <br />a. Green Remodeling Plan Book <br />14 <br />Housing Manager Kelsey provided an update to Members on the Green Remodeling Plan <br />15 <br />Book, noting that it is in its final stages of development; and provided a brief visual <br />16 <br />introduction of this online resource at livingsmarter.org/greenremodelingplanbook. Ms. <br />17 <br />Kelsey advised that, while the site is active, staff and consultants continued to tweak <br />18 <br />information for accuracy and consistency; as well as refining information provided via <br />19 <br />constructive criticism from professional groups consulting with staff. Ms. Kelsey advised that <br />20 <br />a formal press release and other media announcements was planned in the upcoming City <br />21 <br />newsletter; and that staff would continue to make the site more clear and user-friendly, as well <br />22 <br />as providing better visuals as it continued to develop; at which time a major news release <br />23 <br />would be prepared to all media sources. <br />24 <br />25 <br />It was HRA member consensus that the site looked very good and should prove a good <br />26 <br />resource for citizens. <br />27 <br />28 <br />9.Action/Discussion Items <br />29 <br />30 <br />a.Update Nuisance Ordinance <br />31 <br />Executive Director Trudgeon summarized the Request for HRA Action dated October 18, <br />32 <br />2011, for proposed amendments to the City’s “Repeat Nuisance” Ordinance, adopted in 2010. <br />33 <br />Mr. Trudgeon advised that staff had recently become aware of the Tenant Remedies Action <br />34 <br />process in Minnesota State Statutes, Chapter 504B (Attachment A), allowing the City to bring <br />35 <br />court action against a landlord for violation of any state, county or city health, safety, building <br />36 <br />or housing maintenance code. One option that the court could pursue, if complaints and/or <br />37 <br />violations are proven, is to appoint an administrator to collect rents to remedy the violations <br />38 <br />and operate the property in a proper manner. Once violations are corrected, the court will <br />39 <br />terminate the third-party administration and allow the property owner to resume control. <br />40 <br />41 <br />Staff prepared a draft addition to the City’s ordinance (Attachment B) for HRA consideration <br />42 <br />of using this provision, pending review and approval by the City Attorney as to format. Mr. <br />43 <br />Trudgeon opined that this would not solve all landlord issues at the City’s multi-tenant <br />44 <br />problem properties; however, it would serve as another tool in the HRA toolbox to deal with <br />45 <br />some of those problem properties, and help the City reach its city-wide housing goals. <br />46 <br />47 <br />Member Battisto expressed her support of such a the right <br />48 <br />49 <br />Member Pust stated that she was familiar with the statute, and questioned how the City would <br />50 <br />use it without an inspection in place to initiate the court process. <br />51 <br />52 <br />Mr. Trudgeon advised that, for new, the City could only enforce it for exterior code violations; <br />53 <br />and consideration may need to be given to amending City ordinance to accommodate interior <br />54 <br />inspections. <br /> <br />