HF 2610

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/29/2012 01:41pm

A bill for an act
relating to local government; providing for rental housing inspections; imposing
a criminal penalty for a false report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section
504B.185; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 609.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 504B.185, is amended to read:

504B.185 INSPECTION; NOTICE.

Subdivision 1.

Who may request.

If requested by a residential tenant, a
housing-related neighborhood organization with the written permission of a residential
tenant, or, if a residential building is unoccupied, by a housing-related neighborhood
organization, an inspection shall be made by the local authority charged with enforcing a
code claimed to be violated. new text begin If requested by any other person, the local authority shall
inspect the property if it determines, based on its information about the property and the
nature of the request, that an inspection of the property is reasonably required.
new text end

Subd. 2.

Notice.

(a) After the local authority has inspected the residential building
under subdivision 1, the inspector shall inform the landlord or the landlord's agent and the
residential tenant or housing-related neighborhood organization in writing of any code
violations discovered. new text begin Unless a citation is issued for code violations, no notification is
required if another person requested the inspection.
new text end

(b) A reasonable period of time must be allowed in which to correct the violations deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ,
but no less than 120 days unless the inspection order indicates that the violation threatens
the health or safety of the occupant. If the violations do not threaten the health or safety of
the occupant, and correction of the violations is expected to exceed $10,000, no less than
360 days must be allowed to correct the violations. The time periods in this paragraph
do not apply to section 273.1319.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Compliance reinspection. new text end

new text begin If the property is reinspected to determine if
code violations have been corrected, the inspection is limited to the repair or correction of
the code violations, unless the city determines that an additional noncompliance threatens
the health or safety of the occupant. The cost of a compliance reinspection must not
exceed $100.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [609.739] FALSE REPORT; HOUSING CODE VIOLATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Whoever reports, informs, or otherwise provides information that the code has been
violated to the local authority charged with enforcing a housing code, knowing that the
report or information is false and intending that the local authority act in reliance upon it,
is guilty of a misdemeanor.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for reports or information provided
to the local authority after July 31, 2012.
new text end