New Bemidji Rental Code Proposal Receives Favorable Response

After months of discussion and review, the Bemidji City Council finally saw the updated rental ordinance.

Following the council’s decision to drop the previously proposed ordinance in December, a new one was written up by city staff in collaboration with the Headwaters Landlord Association. At last week’s work session, major concerns from the council were addressed. Included in the presentation from City Rental Inspector Ben Hein were updates to parking, egress and occupancy standards.

But, the most pertinent issue updated was around enforcement of the ordinance. The changes Hein highlighted included:

• Maintain strike program, lets tenants dispute strikes
• Allows for increased occupancy in units (if certain requirements are met)
• Can remove unit occupancy instead of closing entire building
• Allows City of Bemidji to require resident manager
• Partner with police and fire officials for site inspection requested by those departments.

With these given changes, the city council appeared to be in favor of this version. No formal action was taken, but the council favored seeing the first reading of the ordinance on the Monday, April 3rd agenda.