Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey touted the city’s housing enforcement efforts at a mayoral forum last month. “We’ve got a Regulatory Services Division,” Frey said. “We have inspectors that can work directly with those in homes to make sure that the conditions are not only habitable, they are up to par.”
For many renters, however, calling 311 has yet to yield “up to par” housing. Frustration over unresolved complaints helped spur the creation of the IPG Tenant Union and a proposed ordinance that would require city council approval, rather than automatic renewal, of rental licenses for landlords with histories of unsafe conditions and code violations.
The Business, Housing, and Zoning Committee advanced the Stop the Slumlords Ordinance in a 5-1 vote. Tenants say they have little faith in the city’s 311 complaint system, which is intended to address issues like mold, broken appliances, and infestations.
At the center of the controversy is 2119 Pillsbury Ave., which has the city’s highest number of Tier 3 violations — 61, according to the housing dashboard. The property is owned by California-based Investment Property Group (IPG), led by Brian Fitterer. For tenants at Pillsbury and another IPG-owned building at 2735 Blaisdell Ave, the failures of the 311 system, lack of city enforcement, and neglect by property managers have escalated into violence and retaliation…