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HRA Meeting Minutes – Tuesday, May 19, 2015 Page 3 1 when applying for a permit for landlords and property managers to use as a checklist for their 2 property. 3 4 Mr. Bilotta noted the need for posting of rights and requirements in student housing facilities 5 for first-time renters who don’t necessarily understand their rights as a renter, allowing them to 6 report back any issues to the City and as a balance to the City’s inspection program. Mr. 7 Bilotta advised that staff intended to post these student-oriented housing areas in September as 8 tenants were first arriving for the school term. 9 10 At the request of Chair Maschka, Mr. Bilotta acknowledged that student housing continued to 11 have problems in the number of occupants per unit, and advised that staff continued to enforce 12 those issues for units over and above the allowed four unrelated adults per unit. 13 14 At the request of Chair Maschka, Mr. Bilotta confirmed that, with the exception of perhaps 50- 15 75 rentals still unidentified in the community, staff had a better handle on the number of 16 rentals, even though new ones continued coming on line frequently. 17 18 At the request of Member Wall, Mr. Johnson estimated that the number of group homes in 19 Roseville was under forty. Mr. Johnson advised that each of those exempt properties were 20 required to provide the City of Roseville with their state license, avoiding duplication of efforts 21 and recognizing discriminatory laws in place to protect those group homes, with the state 22 handling any reported or observed violations. 23 24 In his conversations with City inspectors and at the request of Chair Maschka, Mr. Johnson 25 noted the limited availability of building inspection information beyond building permit and 26 renovation inspections; with the majority of issues complaint-driven. 27 28 As an example, Mr. Bilotta reviewed the concern raised last fall by neighbors adjacent to a 29 Metropolitan Council-owned building, and staff’s investigation of that building. Mr. Bilotta 30 noted that rentals, with the exception of over-occupation issues, typically didn’t produce 31 abatement issues, since the landlord observes the conditions of their rental properties. Mr. 32 Bilotta noted that the City dealt with few abatements on rental properties, with the majority of 33 abatements involving single-family properties since owners often viewed it as their land on 34 which they could do whatever they wished. 35 36 Chair Maschka confirmed with Mr. Johnson that other than his recommendations as noted, Mr. 37 Johnson had come to the general conclusion that the rental registration program was being 38 handled fairly and effectively. 39 40 Mr. Johnson confirmed that conclusion, opining that he saw no reason to step up the program 41 to an inspection-based program. 42 43 Mr. Bilotta concurred, noting that inspection-based programs required fees ramped up to cover 44 the cost of the program, causing more buildings to move under the radar and not reporting. 45 Mr. Bilotta noted the lack of desire to lose the cooperation of property owners with the 46 registration program versus implementing an inspection program; and further lack of interest 47 from inspectors in increasing their work load to find and identify those violators if such a 48 program was implemented. 49 50 Member Etten spoke in support of expanding the rental registration program to register group 51 homes and relative rentals for tracking purposes; as well as posting sites with information on 52 how to contact the City for assistance. Since one of the biggest violations appears to be the 53 number of unrelated occupants in a unit, Member Etten suggested that information be clearly 54 stated on the posted information sheets, not just on the registration form completed by the 55 landlord.