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Key Findings in Response to Interview Questions <br /> Why were the programs set up or why are they being maintained? <br /> • Champlin and Shakopee started theirs mostly because of excessive police calls at rental <br /> properties. <br /> • Chaska, Blaine,Andover, Mendota Heights, Rosemount, Saint Francis, and Spring Lake Park had <br /> issues with homes not being adequately maintained and wanted to preserve the housing stock <br /> better. <br /> • White Bear Lake was receiving excessive amounts of calls from tenants regarding tenant- <br /> landlord disputes and wanted to keep better track of properties. <br /> • Elk River and Saint Paul have their programs mainly to ensure tenant safety. <br /> • Maple Grove's program is designed to maintain the housing stock and ensure safe rental <br /> conditions. <br /> • Minneapolis's program is designed for both tenant safety and crime prevention. <br /> Who Administers the Program? <br /> • Most communities have their building inspectors do inspections and have their building <br /> departments provide administrative support <br /> • Saint Paul's and Blaine's inspections are done by special fire inspection departments <br /> • Columbia Heights and Chaska have their fire departments do inspections. <br /> • Andover's exterior-only inspections are done by the assistant city planner. <br /> Is there any charge for inspections? <br /> • All communities that were surveyed charge fees with the exception of Shakopee with their <br /> rental registration program. <br /> • Blaine recently had to dramatically raise their fees because the size of the program required the <br /> hiring of a second inspector which was causing the program to run at a deficit of$35,000 each <br /> year.The program now is designed to break even. <br /> • Most cities charge a yearly, bi-yearly, or in Maple Grove's case a tri-yearly fee except for Saint <br /> Paul which charges$100 only when they perform inspections which may be as infrequently as <br /> every 6 years for well-maintained properties. <br /> How would they rate success? <br /> • All cities thought that their programs had been at least somewhat successful <br /> • Several cities report that calls for service are way down and other cities report that their housing <br /> stock is better maintained. <br />