Problem Properties Unit
The Problem Properties Unit is housed in the Housing Inspections Services division of Regulatory Services and is charged with identifying the City’s worst properties and developing an action plan to resolve their issues. PPU includes staff from various City departments that work together to reduce the number and severity of problem properties in Minneapolis.
A problem property can be a business, privately-owned home, or rental property that requires ongoing attention from housing and fire inspectors, police officers, or other government agencies for complaints that range from criminal activity to chronic disrepair. These properties fracture neighborhoods, harm quality of life, and drain City resources.
In addition, PPU tracks and manages boarded, vacant, and condemned housing in the City of Minneapolis using the Vacant Building Registration Program. PPU also reviews condemned properties to determine which properties can be declared a nuisance and demolished under the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances. Properties identified for demolition are sent a Director’s Order to Raze and the owners are given 21 days to appeal the order or 30 days to comply.
For more information on the Problem Properties Unit, please call (612) 673-2233.
City Ordinances Related to Boarded, Vacant, and Condemned Properties
The City has several programs and ordinances that address the issue of vacant, boarded, and condemned properties. They include:
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances, Chapter 249: Vacant Dwelling or Building, Nuisance Condition
Chapter 249 covers several issues related to vacant and boarded buildings, including:
- the City's powers to board a dwelling that is open to trespass, see boarded buildings
- the City's authority to order an owner to demolish or rehabilitate a property, see Director’s Orders
- the City's requirement that a vacant property register and pay an annual fee to cover the City's cost of monitoring that property, see the Vacant Building Registration Program and Vacant Building Registration List
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances, Chapters 87: Administration and Enforcement and Chapter 89: Permits and Certificates of Occupancy
These are the two main chapters governing the City's regulation of condemned properties. They include guidance on:
- Properties that require a code compliance inspection and repairs before they can be reoccupied
- Items covered in a code compliance inspection
- Permits issued for vacant or condemned properties
For more information, see the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances.
Last updated Dec 21, 2016
