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"chuming" householdswould find another housing unit in Roseville— more than 75% move north and east, out of the community. The number of code complaintshas fluctuatedbetween 475 to over 750 in the past six years, with follow-up codes inspections a�eraging between 1,200 and 2,000 per year. Of the total complaints, over 150 annually are directly related to a house problem, 44 to weedy lots, and appro�mately 150 to cars and debris problems. (The complaint process requires one inspector, plus clerical support, minimum. The percent of cases resolved averages 95%.) During the past ten years, an informal staff study has reviewed the needs for and suggested new tools to retain value in the city's housing stock. Beginning in 1995 and continuing through spring of 1998, the Planning Commission and staff attempted to create a level of understanding for the needed housing. Representatives from other units of government were invited to discuss their city's approach to Housing Maintenance. The City of Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Coon Rapids, Winona, White Bear Lake, and Mankato Housing Maintenance ordinances were reviewed, as well as models from conferences that staff attended. In 1997-98 the staff warked with the 35W Corridor Coalitionto develop a model housing ordinance based on the Shoreview City Code. Any city could adopt it. Codes and Inspection staff from the 7 cities reviewed the draft ordinance and recommended more uniformity — adopt the Intemational Property Maintenance Code, and amend it to deal with exteriors of single family housing units as well. Roseville's inspection staff warked with the housing planners to prepare a NeighborhoodEnhancementProgram — a method of concentratingcity departments' efforts in each planning district or neighborhood. The City Managerproposed a Neighborhood Ombudsman — a person to wark directly with the neighborhoods on their issues and programs. Mounds View has adopted the Intemational Property Maintenance Code. New Brighton and Shoreview ha�e adoptedpropertymaintenance and rentallicensing programs. This could make Roseville more vulnerable to absentee property owners to invest in communities where the codes and inspections are not a strict. In 2001-2002 Roseville studied and later created a Housing and Redevelopment Agency to focus on housing issues. The HRA has no regulatory or ordinance authority to create a housing maintenance code except that authority can be granted by the Legislature, the City Council, or be designated as a contractor for the City. In 2002-2003 the HRA and the Community Development Department completed a multi- family housing study that provided insight into this housing, where it is located, who lives there, how affordable it is, the tax value and physical condition. From those study meetings came a concept (and written drafts) of "housing preservation" and code changes that were intended to: 1) Provide housing maintenance for all units, as well as licensing regulation for rental units. �f