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HRA Meeting Minutes October 18, 2011 Page 6 1 Member Pust concurred, noting that this was due to landlords running their rental properties 2 unlike they would their personal homes. 3 4 adopt rules above what it was allowed by the State. 5 Regarding Section 8 housing quality standards, Ms. Kelsey advised that City inspectors were 6 often unable to address things at all, but were forced to pass units that could be brought up to 7 that standard with minimal standards, and no ability for City inspectors to dictate the quality of 8 repairs that would be at City Code standards, if meeting Section 8 housing standards. 9 10 Member Pust recognized that some people would attempt to work around the law; however, 11 she opined that this was no reason for the City not to enforce the law as its responsibility, and 12 to avoid putting families at risk. 13 14 Ms. Kelsey advised that, in talking to other communities with problem landlords, the only 15 level of licensing they were left with that could be enforced was to evict building tenants based 16 on the environment in which they were living, causing a community to displace tenants. Ms. 17 Kelsey questioned if the City wanted to be in the eviction business, going from administrative 18 correction staff to eviction. 19 20 Member Lee, in her work in Hennepin County, noted that with current vacancy rates, eviction 21 became even more treacherous; with many tenants staying in their current living situations 22 anywhere else, with publically funded housing currently 23 24 concurred with Member Pust; however, cautioned that further research was needed on where 25 and how to place those teeth without significant and negative impacts to tenants. 26 27 Member Pust noted that this was a big issue and one that the HRA cared about; and while not 28 quite there, suggested that staff continue researching options, including licensing and how it 29 could best be implemented. 30 31 32 educational/communication option to allow staff to engage formally with property owners 33 and/or landlords, both the Police Department and Community Development Department, and 34 to find and develop those contacts for determining multi-family building owners and 35 managers. Ms. Kelsey opined that rental licensing was a long process, but this could be the 36 first step in moving in that direction by engaging property owners and alerting them to 37 38 properties, Ms. Kelsey advised that they indicated that the educational element was missing 39 from the picture. 40 41 Member Pust agreed that, if that education was of value to them, to make sure they obtain it; 42 however, she reiterated that educating people did not necessarily change their behavior, nor 43 44 to licensing, and she was confident that the City Council would concur. 45 46 Member Masche opined that there were a number of problem properties in Roseville, with 47 interior and exterior issues; and suggested that rental registration was one alternative step 48 toward licensing, by requiring inspections in order to get licensed. 49 50 Member Pust noted that this was an option if it could be done in a cost-effective way. 51 52 Mr. Trudgeon suggested that the HRA step back and have a more comprehensive discussion 53 on where to go and how to get there; whether through a series of steps or in one big leap. Mr. 54 Trudgeon suggested that this discussion continue at future meetings; and individual HRA 55 members consider where Roseville wants to be as a community; and how to get to full