1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to housing; securing vacant buildings; 
  1.3             amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, sections 463.251; 
  1.4             and 582.031, subdivision 2. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 463.251, is 
  1.7   amended to read: 
  1.8      463.251 [SECURING VACANT BUILDINGS.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] The following terms have the 
  1.10  meanings given them for the purposes of this section. 
  1.11     (a) "City" means a statutory or home rule charter city. 
  1.12     (b) "Neighborhood association" means an organization 
  1.13  recognized by the city as representing a neighborhood within the 
  1.14  city. 
  1.15     (c) "Secure" may include, but is not limited to, installing 
  1.16  locks, repairing windows and doors, boarding windows and doors, 
  1.17  posting "no-trespassing" signs, installing exterior lighting or 
  1.18  motion-detecting lights, fencing the property, and installing a 
  1.19  monitored alarm or other security system. 
  1.20     Subd. 2.  [ORDER; NOTICE.] If in any city a building 
  1.21  becomes vacant or unoccupied and is deemed hazardous due to the 
  1.22  fact that the building is open to trespass and has not been 
  1.23  secured and the building could be made safe by securing the 
  1.24  building, the governing body may order the building secured and 
  1.25  shall cause notice of the order to be served upon the owner of 
  2.1   record of the premises or the owner's agent, the taxpayer 
  2.2   identified in the property tax records for that parcel, the 
  2.3   holder of the mortgage or sheriff's certificate, and any 
  2.4   neighborhood association for the neighborhood in which the 
  2.5   building is located that has requested notice, by delivering or 
  2.6   mailing a copy to the owner or agent, the identified taxpayer, 
  2.7   the holder of the mortgage or sheriff's certificate, and the 
  2.8   neighborhood association, at the last known address.  Service by 
  2.9   mail is complete upon mailing.  
  2.10     Subd. 3.  [SECURING BUILDING BY CITY; LIEN.] If the owner 
  2.11  of the building fails to either comply or provide to the 
  2.12  governing body a reasonable plan and schedule to comply with ~~the~~ 
  2.13  an order issued under subdivision 2 within ~~ten~~ six days after 
  2.14  the order is served, the governing body shall cause the building 
  2.15  to be properly secured and the cost ~~thereof~~ of securing the 
  2.16  building may be charged against the real estate as provided in 
  2.17  section 463.21.  In the metropolitan area, as defined in section 
  2.18  473.121, subdivision 2, the governing body may work with 
  2.19  neighborhood associations to develop and implement plans to 
  2.20  secure vacant buildings in a timely and cost-effective fashion.  
  2.21  The city may use rehabilitation and revitalization funds in 
  2.22  implementing this section. 
  2.23     Subd. 4.  [EMERGENCY SECURING.] A city may provide by 
  2.24  ordinance for emergency securing of a building that presents an 
  2.25  immediate danger to the health and safety of persons in the 
  2.26  community. 
  2.27     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 582.031, 
  2.28  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.29     Subd. 2.  [AUTHORIZED ACTIONS.] The holder of the mortgage 
  2.30  or sheriff's certificate may take the following actions to 
  2.31  protect the premises from waste:  install or change locks on 
  2.32  doors and windows, board windows, install an alarm system, 
  2.33  provide a resident caretaker, and otherwise prevent or minimize 
  2.34  damage to the premises from the elements, vandalism, trespass, 
  2.35  or other illegal activities.  If the holder of the mortgage or 
  2.36  sheriff's certificate installs or changes locks under this 
  3.1   section, a key to the premises must be promptly delivered to the 
  3.2   mortgagor or any person lawfully claiming through the mortgagor, 
  3.3   upon request.