Morris Rental Housing Commission

Meeting Minutes

February 28^th, 2008

Morris City Council Chambers

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Present: John Amundson, Cheryl Brevig, Noah Clark, Henry Fulda, Blaine Hill, Dan Johnson, Nora Jost, Alex Murphy, Hilda Parks, Melissa Sherod, Greg Thorson, Carol Wilcox

Absent: Melanie Fohl, Steve Rudney, Bill Storck

Call to order

The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m.

Approval of Agenda

Added Discussion of Bylaws as VII

Approval of Minutes

Added “against the tenants” after “John Amundson referred to a three strike policy…”

Carol Wilcox moved to accept the minutes with that one change. Approved.

Tenant and Landlord Rights and Responsibilities

Dan Johnson noted the Attorney General Tenant and Landlord Rights and Responsibilities Document’s clarification on the amount for security deposits.

Greg Thorson asked if the Commission wanted to make it more available, linked to website, or made more accessible as a FAQ document. Dan Johnson said copies should be made available, linked from website. Nora Jost noted that the HRA keeps copies of the AG guide available.

John Amundson asked if there was education, both landlord and tenant, available. Carol Wilcox asked if there was anything for students before school starts. Nothing for students living off-campus/ Nora Jost noted that she had sponsored tenant education seminars with MPIRG. The biggest problem was a lack of attendance; people don’t care about rights and responsibilities until it’s a problem. Hilda Parks asked if landlords were aware of the AG guide. Generally yes.

Greg Thorson distributed brochures concerning landlord best practices. Greg wondered how systematic the information and processes are. Greg Thorson noted that many students don’t get security deposits or interest back. Nora Jost noted that often tenants don’t give written notification of a new address to mail back security deposits.

Henry Fulda said that through the information desk, there is an off-campus website with information about renting. The website covers potential properties, things to look for, and Morris rental housing ordinance. Carol Wilcox asked if the website has information about inspections. Henry Fulda said they did but he wasn’t sure how often they update it.

Cheryl Brevig brought up the practice of parents buying a house for their children in Morris and renting out extra rooms. Cheryl Brevig wondered how this situation affects a three strike policy.

Greg Thorson wondered how students access a student life handbook on-campus. Henry  Fulda said that meetings that ORL have with students the first night they live in the residence halls are concerned with safety, security, and policies. Sessions are over two hours. 

Henry Fulda said that 95% of first-year students will live on-campus, then they keep 60% the next year, and then 35% or so the next year. Students are not required to live on-campus. Henry Fulda noted that students tend to move off-campus because of the more significant rules and regulations on-campus; developmentally they will usually want to live elsewhere after their first year.

Melissa Sherod noted up that it’d be helpful for there to be some kind of transition between on-campus and off-campus living. Henry said that it’s a good idea to have some kind of transition, but ORL isn’t really responsible. ORL can provide a locale for it, but it might be better to work with MCSA to establish it. Henry said that landlords could be brought in as well to talk to future tenants.

Greg Thorson noted that looking at the elaborate on-campus information transfer; he wondered how the commission could create a similar experience for off-campus information. John Amundson said that it serves the landlord well to have educated tenants, so providing a packet to landlords to give to their tenants would be an easy way to present the information. John Amundson said that tenants can destroy property and just leave, whereas he needs to, as a landlord, be careful since he’s held accountable.

Nora Jost noted that another captive audience for tenant education is high school students, and can be reached easily to give them information. Dan Johnson noted that he gets more negative calls about local tenants. Greg Thorson asked if Cheryl Kuhn, through a service-learning program, could lay out the information to the high school students. Dan Johnson said that he’d had high school students tour his properties. Cheryl Brevig said that a service-learning program would be a great idea. Greg Thorson said that Alex and he could look for funding to bring in a speaker to the high school.

Carol Wilcox said that the AG guide should be made smaller to be more accessible. Carol Wilcox said that one thing to include is sidewalk shoveling. Dan Johnson said that it’s usually in the lease concerning shoveling. Discussed that though the lease says that, the landlord is ultimately responsible to the city to make sure it’s done.

Greg Thorson asked if landlords register their tenants with the city. Dan Johnson said no since problems are directed to landlords.

Greg Thorson asked if all landlords have written leases in Morris. Not all of them. Carol Wilcox said that this should be mandated. Greg Thorson summarized that there could be a part of the lease that acknowledges receipt of the AG guide. Cheryl Brevig asked if a city mandate for written leases would conflict with state law. Blaine Hill said that laws can be stricter; the state policy is a floor. Hilda Parks asked if everyone in a property had to sign a lease. Dan Johnson said yes in his case, anyone who lives in his apartment needs to be on the lease, to protect him and the tenants. Greg asks if everyone being on the lease should be a best practice. Dan Johnson said that it should.

On the topic of gold-star landlords, Blaine Hill said that while you could distinguish good landlords, it’s more dangerous to single out bad ones due to defamation of character. Greg Thorson asked if there should be mandates, or if there should be a voluntary landlord program. Dan Johnson said that it’s preferred to not have mandates.

Dan Johnson noted that things that are required in rental housing that aren’t in houses that they live in, and landlords are unaware of this.

Greg Thorson asked if there should be a gold-star landlord program or just best practices documents. He explained that a Morris gold-star landlord would be someone that approached the city and agreed to do all these things. Noah Clark noted that they’re not mutually exclusive, both could be done. It’s decided that best practices is a good place to start, and then possibly proceed to the gold-star landlords. Carol Wilcox noted that some landlords won’t care if they’re great. Greg Thorson noted that gold-star landlords might improve the market for rental housing.

Henry Fulda brought up the idea of having forums for students thinking about living off-campus to hear from students who already are.

Blaine Hill noted the interest of parents in their children as tenants. Melissa Sherod asked if at the high school event, there could be a sheet for the students to let the commission or someone to mail information to their parents.

Hilda Parks noted that there is a community organization fair early on that largely has many parents at it. It is resolved that the RHC should have a presence there.

Blaine Hill said that a forum for landlords would also be very helpful so they’re updated on changes and information. He also suggested that the police could come and talk to landlords about trends and other information.

Nora noted the existence of the “Working Together” Conference: a three-day conference in St. Paul that deals with fair housing, recognizing drug manufacture, current laws, and other rental housing issues.

MRHC Website and Listserv

A question was raised concerning how information will be accessed. Greg Thorson asked Blaine Hill how the commission would set up a website. Blaine Hill said he would email Alex Murphy with contact information. More information will be available at the next meeting.

Party Houses: Henry Fulda’s input

Henry Fulda handed out a Party Smart Tips for Student Renters brochure. Henry Fulda said that the Twin Cities campus sends out a liaison to properties that have party problems to talk to them about how to improve the situation. He said that it might be coming into effect in Morris next year. Henry Fulda said that every student who was not living on-campus received a brochure in his or her on-campus mailboxes. It was noted that this delivery system could also be used for other information.

Adjournment

Cheryl moved to adjourn. Adjourned at 5:06 p.m.