Quoted from the StarTribune article on Truth in Housing: "Niziolek's proposal would require repair or replacement of unsafe heating systems or water heaters, ungrounded or overloaded wiring, kinked, damaged or potentially leaky natural gas pipes, potentially contaminating water connections, and missing, broken or misplaced smoke detectors.
The program was nearly ended in spending-cut debates to balance the 2002 city budget. With a housing sales boom, inspectors were having trouble making compliance checks, prompting complaints of delayed closings. Council Member Joe Biernat argued strenuously for saving the program, saying it's needed in areas of the city with older housing stock, such as his ward in north and northeast Minneapolis. "We're keeping some critical life safety issues," he said of the proposal. "That's important to me." Among the items Niziolek would not require to be fixed are structural supports that could fail, uncapped drain pipes, cracked plumbing, missing electrical switch plates, broken glass, presence of vermin, clutter and lack of utilities. He said the mandatory-fix list focuses on "immediate life-threatening issues." So, if I am reading this right, if the house us structurally unsound but has not yet collapsed, it would pass inspection? If it is venting sewer gas into the house? Has exposed electrical wires? And missing utilities like water or sewer? Is there someone who knows if this is accurate and if so how this is being justified? Carol Becker Longfellow _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
