The right thing to do

While conducting inspections is a new idea in our community, many cities in Minnesota have been doing inspections for years. And a recent Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling involving the city of Red Wing adds credibility to the idea of inspecting rental units to ensure that they meet safety codes and standards.

We know that some landlords are angry about the idea of inspections. Some have argued that this is an affront to a citizen’s constitutional right to privacy and security in their homes. And, they argue, rental units should not be singled out, if safety is the real concern.

But private homeowners now have the ability to have the city inspect their homes for safety issues. And inspections of rental units won’t involve city officials peaking into cupboards and looking into dresser drawers.

Instead, based on a rental unit inspection check list supplied to The Journal by city officials, inspections would involve ensuring that: house numbers or apartment numbers are clearly visible from the street; smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are properly placed; fire extinguishers are available; ground fault circuit interrupters are properly placed; stairs/steps are equipped with proper railings; doors open and close properly; windows open and close properly and egress windows are installed in basement bedrooms to allow escape by occupants in an emergency; proper waste containers are provided; and blight prevention, reduction and elimination factors are in place.

We see nothing wrong with a renter, and city officials, knowing that these issues have been properly handled by their landlord.

And the city has taken the right approach by listening to concerns voiced about inspections and attempting to address some of those concerns.

Officials have said they are considering conducting inspections and then periodic — perhaps every three years — inspections if the initial inspection shows a unit meets the above requirements. And officials have said that the city will attempt to partner with the United States Housing and Urban Development, which already conducts inspections of HUD subsidized homes in International Falls.

City officials say that conducting inspections of rental units could protect landlords in the case of lawsuits by tenants, affirming a rental unit has met proper safety requirements.

In a perfect world, all homes — rental or otherwise — would be perfectly safe. But it’s not a perfect world. And rules must be in place to ensure that renters are safe at home.

Conducting inspections of rental units is the right thing to do for a community that values its citizens and its future.