Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/12/2007 MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 7:00 P.M. CITY HALL CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Pearson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Commissioner Jeffrey James Chairperson Gary Pearson Commissioner Joy Tkachuck Vice-Chairperson Beth Ulrich Commissioner Rita Andreoli Absent Present Present Absent Present Staff Present: Dave Fisher, Building Official Michael Samuelson, Code Enforcement Officer III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Officer Stephen Heinz's presentation was moved from new business to be presented under communications to accommodate his schedule. Commissioner Andreoli moved to approve the agenda. Commissioner Tkachuck seconded. Ayes - Pearson, Tkachuck, Andreoli The motion carried. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the HRA minutes for August 8,2007. Commissioner Andreoli moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Tkachuck seconded. Ayes - Pearson, Tkachuck, Andreoli The motion carried. V. COMMUNICATIONS . Police Officer Stephen Heinz - Crime-Free Multi-Housing Liaison Maplewood Police Officer Stephen Heinz addressed the commission. He is at the meeting to talk about the crime-free multi-housing coalition and how it affects the police department. This has been in place since 1980. The coalition is a group of apartment managers from Housing and Redevelopment Authority -2- Minutes of 09-12-07 Maplewood, Roseville, North Saint Paul and Oakdale that meet on a monthly basis. The coalition is run by the apartment managers. They get together to share information, to get additional training and other things that affect how they do their job. A key component that affects the police department is the crime-free lease addendum. This allows the eviction of a tenant if they are involved in drug-related activity or other types of crimes in their apartments or on the property. This coalition also ensures the apartment managers are using a Minnesota standard lease. Officer Heinz is hoping the City of Maplewood can develop some kind of program that will help identify all of the owners and what kinds of processes they are using to check the background of the tenants. Officer Heinz opened the topic for discussion. Chairperson Pearson asked what is the biggest problem the police department has encountered that would be aided by the registration process. Officer Heinz said the most beneficial aid would be when police are called to a property and have the information available on whether or not the people living on the property are the owners. This would also aid in contacting the owner iflhere is an emergency on the property. Chairperson Pearson asked iflhere are many properties where the owner is not concerned with who is renting the property. Officer Heinz said it is hard to quantify that circumstance. We do not know how many smaller operations of duplexes and home rentals there are in the city. Chairperson Pearson asked iflhere is a requirement for how many units can be in a building before an onsite manager is required. Officer Heinz said there is no requirement, however, it is noted that there is an improvement in the property when there is an onsite live-in manager. Michael Samuelson, code enforcement officer, asked which communities Officer Heinz works with have a multi-housing rental registration. Officer Heinz stated that North Saint Paul has a licensing program, Roseville has a registration program, and he is not sure about the other communities. Chairperson Pearson asked for clarification on how the police department aids rental managers when there is suspicion of criminal activity by one of the renters. Officer Heinz stated they have quicker access to reports that deal with any of their units. Once they receive the report they can start the eviction process. The owners will also get a synopsis of all of the calls related to their properties from the previous month. The next meeting of the grouf is on September 19 at 10am at the North Saint Paul community center. They meet every 3' Wednesday of the month. For those who cannot make the meetings, monthly statistics can be picked up at the police station. The coalition is open to all owners and managers of multi-housing units. There is a minimal fee to be a member of the group based on the number of units. The board discussed ways of getting this information out to rental property owners. Housing and Redevelopment Authority -3- Minutes of 09-12-07 Commissioner Tkachuck asked for clarification on the amount of work that goes into this registration and/or licensing program, which department would run the program and what kind of upkeep is required. Mr. Fisher said it may take more time to implement this program than to maintain the program. It is hard to quantify the amount it will cost because it is not known how many rental properties are in the city. City staff has estimated it will take about an hour and forty-five minutes for each registration, which would equate to about a half to two-thirds of a staff person. It is not known if that can be absorbed with current staffing. The board discussed different ways of getting rental property registration. Officer Heinz stated that if the city can make it appealing for owners to register, then there might be more compliance. Commissioner Tkachuck asked if there is money in the budget for next year to set up this program. Mr. Fisher stated the budget has to stay the same as the previous year, so no. Commissioner Andreoli suggested that home insurance be required if there is an absentee landlord. Mr. Fisher stated that most property owners will already have insurance but it is possible to get that information when they register. Mr. Samuelson stated that would be something for the city attorney to look at. Officer Heinz stated the key to getting owners to register would be to highlight the benefits that would come with registration. Mr. Fisher asked what other communities have in terms of fees. Officer Heinz stated he is not sure. The discussion was ended as the commission had no more questions. . Verbal Report on Code Enforcement (Michael Samuelson) Mr. Samuelson addressed the commission. Mr. Samuelson went over a specific property that had a large abatement made back in August. Commissioner Tkachuck asked what prevents the renters from repeating the violation. Mr. Samuelson stated that the property is flagged and the police will be watching the property as well. Now that the property is known to city staff, it will be caught earlier before it gets that bad. Commissioner Tkachuck asked how the bill will be paid if the owner cannot be contacted. Housing and Redevelopment Authority -4- Minutes of 09-12-07 Mr. Samuelson stated the owner will be billed, and if the bill is unpaid, then the amount will be assessed to the property through the property taxes. Chairperson Pearson asked if the code enforcement progress reports would be going on the internet. Mr. Samuelson stated the HRA packets are available online that give some information but the reports are not specifically added online, but the reports can be put onto the website. VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS . Proposed revised mission statement for the HRA The revised draft mission statement is listed in the memo from Tom Ekstrand. Chairperson Pearson said that it should also read something about retaining the diversity of housing. Mr. Samuelson suggested that the sentence on line 4 should read, "...develop, improve and retain the diversitv of housing stock in Maplewood..." Mr. Samuelson asked if the commission wanted anything in the mission statement that said the HRA also makes budgetary recommendations to the city council. Commissioner Tkachuck motioned to table this discussion until the next meeting. Commissioner Andreoli seconded the motion. Ayes - Tkachuck, Pearson, Andreoli The motion was carried. VII. NEW BUSINESS . Review and discussion about the 2006 IPMC and Chapter 12 of City Code Mr. Samuelson addressed the commission. He went over the two documents, the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and Chapter 12 of the City Code. Mr. Samuelson went over the similarities and differences between the two documents and the staff recommended changes. After going over Chapter 1 of the 2006 IPMC, Mr. Samuelson asked for questions. There were no questions, so Mr. Samuelson then went over Chapter 2 of the 2006 IPMC. Chairperson Pearson asked about definitions that are in the Maplewood code but are not in the IPMC. Mr. Samuelson went over the definition additions he recommends for the adoption of the I PMC. Housing and Redevelopment Authority -5- Minutes of 09-12-07 Mr. Fisher recommends the city put as many definitions as possible into the city code. The commission discussed the definition of "sound condition". Mr. Samuelson went over Chapter 3 of the 2006 IPMC. After going over Chapter 3, Mr. Samuelson recommended the commission cover the last 3 chapters of the 2006 IPMC at the next meeting. Commissioner Andreoli asked about the proof processes and injury to human health and property. Mr. Fisher said in that situation the city would try to get them to hire a licensed pest control agency. Mr. Samuelson then went over the 2007 budget for the code enforcement department. Next month's meeting will have a budget estimate for 2008 that the city manager would be recommending for code enforcement. City staff and the commission discussed the possibility of a code enforcement intern position in the budget. VIII. DATE OF NEXT MEETING Date of next HRA meeting is scheduled for October 10, 2007. IX. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:28 p.m.