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HRA Meeting Minutes – Tuesday, November 20, 2012 Page 8 Regarding fees, Mr. Jones advised that the concern was that they could become prohibitive. As an 1 example, Mr. Jones used the City of Columbia Heights, where he also owned property, and their charge 2 of $150 for the first unit, and a lesser fee per unit thereafter. Specific to his property in Roseville, Mr. 3 Jones questioned if he could be required to pay a first -unit fee on all forty (40) of his units for first -time 4 licensing fees on that type of rental. 5 6 Ch air Maschka advised that the HRA was just taking input tonight; but admitted that Mr. Jones’ 7 question was a good one to consider. Chair Maschka noted that it was a concern of the HRA and City 8 that, in searching for what worked, that good owners be rewarde d accordingly. However, Chair 9 Maschka noted the problems in a society where only 3% of that society need rules; and how the 10 community could best address that small segment and not penalize the other 97%. 11 12 Mr. Jones agreed that the 90/10 rule applied, with only 10% of tenants and/or landlords generated 13 problems. Mr. Jones advised that his approach was to attempt to eliminate that 10% from his 14 properties; and while unsure if feasible, suggested that if there were no problems found in a rental 15 building by ne ighbors and/or former residents, it was a good indication that something positive must be 16 taking place. If a former resident has had a problem, Mr. Jones opined that it was human nature that 17 they make that negative experience known; and suggested a way to tap into that information. Mr. Jones 18 advised that on his properties in Columbia Heights, police calls were used to track rental housing with 19 additional focus on those properties, through offering educational classes to incent good owners and 20 tenants. 21 22 Ch air Maschka concurred with the concept of rewards versus punishment. 23 24 Mr. Jones opined that good managers didn’t need reward, just a simple pat on the back. Mr. Jones 25 further opined that a challenge the HRA may face is finding the people who were the actu al problem 26 and effectively addressing those, and focusing City resources on those who prove problematic. 27 28 Dick Houck 29 Mr. Houck referenced page 3 of the CURA report regarding “800 inspection -based….” And questioned 30 whether they were related to inspection ca ses per year, or units. Mr. Houck opined that, if the City was 31 going to justify licensing, it needed to justify those that are serious cases city -wide or at specific 32 properties. If a decision was made to license properties, Mr. Houck reiterated his opini on that the City 33 then needed to make a case that it was actually needed, not just do it because other cities were doing so. 34 35 Janice Ettel , Roseville Condo Building Owner (Roseville Village Condominiums) 36 Ms. Ettel referenced their units, with a number of th eir owners renting out their units. Ms. Ettel 37 questioned if the City had any strict rules about the number of people allowed per unit or per bedroom; 38 and if that limit addressed a specific number of people per unit versus extended family staying for a 39 lon g -term period. Ms. Ettel advised that their concerns were based on safety issues; and whether the 40 City had rules that would help them enforce their own rules in rental situations. 41 42 Mr. Trudgeon noted that both State Law and City Code addressed occupancy r equirements based on 43 safety considerations, and suggested Ms. Ettel contact him or Code Officer Don Munson at the City to 44 provide her assistance and information specific to her situation. 45 46 Mr. Trudgeon reviewed the next steps, with their actual timing stil l pending, to obtain additional input 47 from interested parties. Mr. Trudgeon reiterated encouragement to provide that input through various 48 options available; and reminded attendees at tonight’s meeting to sign up in the back of the room to be 49 included in communications regarding upcoming meetings. Mr. Trudgeon advised that the HRA was 50 serving as “ground zero” for the preliminary work related to this issue; and noted that there would be 51 multiple opportunities at the HRA and City Council level if and when t he program developed. 52 53 54 Lisa Peilen, Director of Municipal Affairs with Minnesota Multi -Family Housing Association 55