Agenda - Council - 10/11/2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City will receive more comments as part of the next phase, which includes reaction to an actual proposal. A copy of the case presented to City Council on October 27, 2015 is attached to this case as background. This attachment provides important background pertinent to this case, such as an outline of our existing program, reasons cities implement such a program, and an evaluation of peer community programs. Notification: Notification is not required at this time. Observations/Alternatives: Observations: Throughout the first phase of public comment (discuss the program with stakeholders; no amendments yet proposed), there appears to be some willingness to consider registration of rental properties that would collect important contact information above and beyond what is available in the County's Tax Database (phone number, email, alternate contact, etc.). That being said, there is still likely to be some resistance to this policy change. Required inspections continue to be the top area of concern amongst owners/landlords. Required inspections are not proposed to be added to the program for single-family homes at this time. Considering the level of opposition to required inspections and the quality of existing housing stock, Staff believes a required inspection may be more tool than needed to solve the desired issue. The goal of the analysis has been prevention, acknowledging a wide spread nuisance or safety issue does not exist. As noted, there are pockets of issues throughout the community, but to blanket an inspection requirement may be more than what is necessary to achieve the desired goal. This issue may present itself in the future, and the City can re-evaluate the inspection requirement in the future. The City can continue to rely on its complaint -based approach for properties of concern. As the number of individual rental properties has increased over the past decade, so has the number and quality of professional property management companies. These management companies help individual property owners with minimal experience to monitor individual properties, draft lease agreements, and provide tenant screening among other benefits. Staff believes that this is an added value to the rental community and aides the community in reaching its goal of minimizing nuisances created by rental properties. If the City Council were inclined to require an inspection, Staff would recommend tapping into this resource and perhaps license and train these companies. The City would then exempt properties working with a licensed property management company from a City inspection. This is similar to the City's septic maintenance program. Note: this is currently not included in Staffs recommended policy direction. Staff does note existing tools the City currently has the following tools at its disposal. • Ramsey Public Nuisance Code • Ramsey Property Maintenance Code (condition of buildings) • Ramsey Off -Street Parking Ordinance • Ramsey Zoning Code • Ramsey Building Code • Anoka County Community Development/Housing and Redevelopment Authority • State of Minnesota Attorney General Alternatives Alternative 1 - Adopt Ordinance #16-09 as proposed. Alternative 2 - Adopt Ordinance # 16-09 with amendments. Alternative 3 - Recommend no amendments to the program. Only apartments and condominiums with shared, internal connections. This would not reduce the cost to apartments and condos as proposed. Funding Source: