Mr. Miller - obviously you took offense. To that I apologize. If my liberal use of 'slumlords' was inappropriate to use on this list - then I am sorry. I clearly made reference that this does not affect those landlords who respect their tenants and it would have been just as easy to describe a poor landlord than label them.
I do not apologize for the real issue here and that is that there are some that are taking advantage of others - and certain zoning issues supporting these acts. It would seem to make sense that the zoning requirements should be accountable to the owner - and it is then up to them to pass along those costs accodingly to the tenants in the rent they collect. To pass these costs onto the tenant (without full disclosure) seems like an injustice. David Held Bancroft -----Original Message----- From: Craig Miller [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 2:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Mpls] City Zoning Mr. Held really ought to quit using the word "slumlord". It makes you look like pinhead. Oops, I went and did it. What am I trying to say......you know....... those people from Bancroft............there just ..eh...kind of funny, you know. Craig Miller Former Pinhead from Fulton [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Held" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 2:08 PM Subject: [Mpls] City Zoning > The contents of this email have been forwarded to not only Robert Lilligren, > but to other various city officials without any response. I am hoping to > find out why this continues to occur - and why the city zoning promotes such > actions. > > We are dealing with this issue in Bancroft. > > A landlord is able to buy a property and squeeze every dime they can out of > it while making no improvements. The way it stands now, the City doesn't go > after landlords who let their properties get run down, only the landlords > that make improvements or changes are penalized and exposed to numerous > requirements and costs. Landlords exploiting renters is commonplace. They > try to get their renters to pay for improvements that he should make. The > City site plan ordinance supports this "slumlord" behavior by laying the > responsibility on the business owner- renter not the landlord. It makes no > sense that a renter should have to pay out $15,000 in landscaping fees to > landscape a landlord's entire mall. On top of it, currently there is a > commercial property shortage in Minneapolis so renters/potential business > owners are especially a business owner who is looking for a restaurant. > > This is a city wide problem. The City is now enforcing site plans which is > good. They have put "some teeth" into the ordinance. They are definitley on > the right track. However, they need to go one step further and get to the > root of the problem. A responsible landlord will do the work and pass the > cost on to the renter. But too many times, especially in the inner city, > slumlords take full advantage of the ordinance. They are actually rewarded > for their poor, irresponsible behavior. Not only can they get the renters to > fix up their property, the City enforces it. A slumlord is left alone by the > City when he/she does not maintain their property. However, when someone > gets in there to open a business or by a property they are hit by every end. > City Planning, Zoning, Health Department, Inspections, Licensing. > > Unfortunately, there is nothing in the Zoning books that require the > landlord to pay for Site Plan costs. Generally the City goes after the > renter first who then goes to the landlord. A good, responsible landlord > will cover the costs but that doesn't happen in many cases. Also, in this > particular case, not only does he have to landscape the area directly in > front of his business, but the entire section of the mall owned by the > landlord. It's not fair but that's how the books read. > > Is there someone with more experience on this topic and how we can assist > the renter open his business? > > David Held > Bancroft > > _______________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________ 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
