A DEMOCRACY TOWN HALL: Is any home good enough for the homeless?

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Sunday, March 28, 2010

Is any home good enough for the homeless?

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Pioneer Press said...: Is any home good enough for the homeless?
Landlord Dave Busch gets the homeless into housing, often at a fraction of the cost of other organizations. His tenants, some of whom don't even pay rent, call him a hero. He says he could do even more if he didn't have to worry about building codes.

By Bob Shaw
bshaw@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 03/27/2010 07:20:55 PM CDT

Dave Busch is photographed outside a home he's set up on Sherburne Avenue in St. Paul for the formerly homeless. With his own own money he has bought about 40 abandoned properties to help homeless people have safe housing. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin) Dave Busch stomped up the wooden stairs in one of his rescued homes.

At the top, three people greeted him with reverence. To them, Busch is a hero who gave them a place to live when no one else would.

One was Dane Robinson, an ex-convict who recently found full-time work in a slaughterhouse.

"Without Dave," he said, "I would be out on the street."

Last year, roughly 100 other people could have said the same thing. Busch owns about 50 housing units, which he rents to homeless and nearly homeless people — making his one-man operation comparable to large charities and government programs.

And he does it for a fraction of the cost. For example, Habitat for Humanity builds homes for about $180,000 per unit — more than three times Busch's average cost of $55,000 per housing unit.

But not everyone loves him.

Busch has been cited for violating building codes in his units.

"He wants to put what he calls substandard people into substandard housing," snapped Dick Lippert, the top enforcer of St. Paul's building codes. "To him, all that matters is making money."

Minimum living standards, said Lippert, are a matter of human dignity.

"That makes me so mad to hear that," fumed Busch, flanked by his grateful tenants. "They close down a house and kick these people right out into the street. Is that preserving human dignity?"

Busch says it is regulation, as much as poverty, that keeps homeless people on the street.

"If I could get more houses, I could take 1,000 people off the public dole," Busch said. "I could do that if the city of St. Paul got the hell out of my way."
Which raises the question: Is Busch a housing-code outlaw? Or St. Paul's housing angel, with a plan to save the city's homeless?; 9:34 AM
story continued said...: "I see (Busch) as bringing a legitimate point of view to a very necessary conversation," said Chip Halbach, director of the Minnesota Housing Partnership.

Government is failing to house the homeless, Halbach said.

"He has an alternative," Halbach said. "If we can't come up with another alternative and different standards, then we have to accommodate his approach."

'MY MISSION IN LIFE'

Busch, 56, of St. Paul made his money as a lawyer and by buying real estate. About 25 years ago, he started buying property, first in Apple Valley, then in the inner city of St. Paul.

A chance encounter changed his life. In 2008, a mentally ill homeless man was found sleeping in the doorway of one of Busch's homes. On a whim, Busch invited him to live there — free.

The house wasn't ready for occupancy, and the city cited Busch for allowing someone to live in a building registered as vacant. But that didn't slow him down.

"I found my mission in life," he said.

He bought a series of homes in the Frogtown area, catering to the lowest part of the rental market: the homeless, the unemployed and ex-convicts.

His timing was perfect. Foreclosed homes began to flood the market. There are now about 1,600 vacant homes in St. Paul.

Busch says he buys properties for $10,000 to $60,000 each, then spends up to $50,000 to improve them to comply with city rules.

He said half of his 200 "renters," in fact, do not pay any rent at all. He makes money, he said, but not much.

He doesn't do background checks.

"I would say nine out of 10 of my people wouldn't pass one," Busch said. "I don't want to know. I don't want to bias myself against them. They need a clean start."

The tenants are grateful for his forgiving approach. Many end up working for him. He said he had 200 employees last year — mostly in short-term propertymaintenance jobs until they found full-time jobs.

Many homeless people, he said, are severely depressed and barely functioning.

"They really can't do anything," he said. "To call and check on the status of an application is beyond them."

Others are mentally ill or have destructive attitudes.

"It is amazing how many people think they are victims," Busch said.

But he insists they try to find jobs.

"We remove all the excuses for not working," Busch said.

In 2009, he says, he amassed a fleet of 30 cars, mostly junkers, to loan to tenants so they could seek and keep employment.

"My insurance agent loves me," Busch said. He says he paid $2,000 in parking tickets last year, from tenants using his cars. He has since cut back to nine cars.

Busch evicts people for smoking or using alcohol or drugs.; 9:35 AM
Story continued said...: In February, he evicted a woman for letting two drug-using men into her apartment.

"I told her, 'You will have to go into the wilderness for letting those bums in,' " Busch said.

When asked about building codes versus affordable housing, most people who work directly with homelessness gasp in disbelief. The unanimous response: housing first, standards second.

"What if you put (officials) on the street, then you said they could stay in a place that is not the Taj Mahal or they could stay in a bus stop all night to keep warm?" said Pat Ware, who works for Busch. "Which would they pick?"

Ware knows one house where officials cited the landlord because his tenants were letting homeless people sleep in a basement. It had no egress window for escape during a fire.

"Of course, it should have an egress window," said Ware, her voice rising in anger. "But this is not the nanny state. Aren't they safer there than in their car or in someone's back yard?"

"This is," said Busch, "the bitter paternalism of the state."

'CODES ARE LIKE A COMMUNITY CONSCIENCE'

Nonsense, city regulator Lippert said.

Relaxing standards would be an enormous mistake, he said.

"It's like selling Toyotas without brakes because some people can't afford a car with brakes," Lippert said.

Any kind of selective enforcement — such as a temporary easing of rules for certain landlords — would be unconstitutional, he said.

Lippert said he doesn't want to put anyone on the street.

"What we want to happen is for landlords to fix their buildings and house as many people as they can," he said.

He said that in 2009, 1,377 homes were rehabbed in St. Paul — by landlords following the rules.

"Sure, a vacant house might be better than living under a bridge," Lippert said. "But we can point to 1,377 places that are occupied today instead of being some pile of crap."

When slumlords are unchecked, he said, the wreckage can be seen in places like Detroit. The inner city is rotting because owners aren't required to make improvements — they are just waiting for the recession to end and prices to rise.

"We made the decision early on not to let that happen here," Lippert said. In St. Paul, no one can sell a vacant home without bringing it up to code.

"In the future, we won't have blocks and blocks of problems," he said. "We will have blocks and blocks of rehabbed buildings that have been sold."

To him, Busch is in a category of landlords that includes slumlords.

"These guys are a dime a dozen," Lippert said. "They say we are in their way. Well, we are proud to be in their way. They come in and try to wreck the community."

Lippert said that, like a police officer, he enforces laws.

"If (Busch) wants to make a change, he needs to go to the people who write the laws," Lippert said. "He can plead his case, and see how far he gets."

Other government officials — even those in the business of homeless housing — support the law enforcers.

"I totally understand what (Busch) is doing, as a person who wants to do good," said Laura Kadwell, director for ending long-term homelessness for Minnesota Housing, a state agency that provides low-income housing.; 9:36 AM
story continued said...: But suppose, she said, that someone died in a fire in a building in which officials knowingly let violations slide. The lawsuit could cost the government millions.

"At the end of the day, I side with the inspector. It is our job to keep people safe," Kadwell said. "We live in a litigious society."

Officials have an obligation to neighbors who have a right to know if groups of homeless people or ex-convicts are living nearby, Lippert said.

"Do you want these guys living next to you? You think neighbors who have invested in their homes want these guys living next door?" he said. "Who thinks this is a good plan?

"Our codes are like a community conscience. We do not want people to live in substandard conditions. Where is the social benefit of that?"

'THE COST BECOMES HIGH'

Yet Busch says that the community conscience is not easy to obey — or even understand.

The St. Paul building code lists thousands of do's and don'ts in breathtaking detail — stipulating, for example, that every basement window must have a screen of "not more than sixteen (16) mesh per inch" and that outdoor lighting be equal to "one (1) footcandle at the pavement."

The code specifies window sizes, water temperature, fence height and the square footage of parking areas.

Many of the rules can save lives, Lippert said. An egress window must be big enough to allow a panicked resident to escape.

"Without it, someone's gonna die," he said.

"These are good things," agreed Minnesota Housing Partnership's Halbach. "But you add up all these incremental things on the margin, and the cost becomes high."

And do there have to be so many rules?

Halbach said, for example, that rules calling for ceiling sprinklers or hard-wired smoke detectors were wasteful.

Busch has his own examples.

"This week, I am working on a house where pillars in the basement have stood for 100 years," he said. "But I have to put a concrete block under each one — for $3,000."

Last week, he was installing automatic gas shut-offs in four houses, for $500 apiece.

"A few things like that, and you are talking another $200 a month in rent," he said. "For my renters, that is the difference between living in a house and living in a shelter."; 9:36 AM
story conclusion said...: Halbach said the community conscience must include housing the homeless.

In late February, he tried — and failed — to persuade state legislators to boost funding for housing the homeless.

That forces officials to consider landlords not as enemies, but as partners — because they can provide housing so cheaply.

"Often, it is the small guy doing one house at a time that is the most efficient provider," Halbach said.

Busch's units cost him less than one-third the cost of rehabbed units provided by Minnesota Housing, which has created 2,800 units since it began in 2004.

His units cost one-third of a typical $180,000 Habitat for Humanity home, built with volunteer labor. The community-building group does many other worthwhile things, Halbach said, "but in terms of producing housing, it's a bad deal."

Explained Busch: "I'd rather do 10 adequate houses than two perfect ones."

'PROFITABLE? ARE YOU KIDDING?'

In late February, Busch dropped by one of his homes, at 453 Sherburne Ave.

He sat down in a small but spotless living room. Next to him, tucked into a planter, was a sign: "So this isn't home sweet home — adjust."

Busch greeted the tenants by name. In six months, the house has been home to 17 men, many just released from jail, as they find jobs and permanent housing.

It operates as a do-it-yourself halfway house, with Les Norton acting as property manager in exchange for rent reduction.

"We are all here on our own accord," said Norton, a concrete worker. "We do this because it is God's work."

Two of the tenants don't pay rent. They can't afford it, but Busch lets them stay anyway.

He was asked if this approach is profitable.

He paused. "Um, I dunno."

After a few seconds, his friend Ware burst out laughing.

"You? Profitable? Are you kidding? I don't know what you tell your wife," she said.

"It is hard to be a slumlord when you aren't collecting rent," said Busch, almost sheepishly.

Even the way he evicts someone shows how he feels about homeless people and bureaucracy.

"When I evict them, I deliberately spell their names wrong" on official documents, Busch said. "That's so it's not on their record. I give them a break. I do not need to cause other problems in their lives."

Bob Shaw can be reached at 651-228-5433.; 9:36 AM
Anonymous said...: This statement says it all!

Officials have an obligation to neighbors who have a right to know if groups of homeless people or ex-convicts are living nearby, Lippert said.

"Do you want these guys living next to you? You think neighbors who have invested in their homes want these guys living next door?" he said. "Who thinks this is a good plan?

What the real agenda is! To rid the city of the less desirable!; 10:40 AM
Bob said...: What the real agenda is! To rid the city of the less desirable!

My response;
Now isn't that an interesting statement. Who is less than desirable?

Examples
Dic Leppet a man who once was able to support his wife and 3 kids but is now homeless because he was fired from his job. Dic now works a job that barely feeds his family. Dic is an ex felon who hasn't been convicted of a felony in years does Dic have a right to affordable housing?

How about the guy and his family who are homeless because he was laid off from work, does he deserve housing?

Does any ex felon have a right to housing?

How about the guy fresh out of prison. Does he have a right to housing? How desperate will ex cons get if they can not find housing? How will their desperation impact our neighborhoods?

How about all you men out there who committed felonies as a young wild guy and were never caught. Do you deserve housing, or should your past forever haunt you?

What happened to the concept of a offender serving his time and the debt was paid to society. Isn't it societies responsibility to afford these guys the same rights to housing we have? Or should we build gated concrete villages "Hell-towns" as options for those the eltis claim undesirables.

How much does it cost the tax payers in medical cost to have the fingers and toes of homeless people amputated from frost bite?
There is all kinds of medical cost related to people who are homeless.

City officials suggest people who are homeless are criminals. Are all homeless people really criminals? The economy is making citizens who have never committed a crime in their lives homeless.

If the city doesn't allow the private sector to house the poor, there will be more and more homeless people. The food shelters are maxed out. The homeless shelters are maxed out. Government can not provide shelter for the current demand. This situation isn't going to get better. The homeless crisis is getting worse.; 11:59 AM
Politics in Minnesota said...: 57. Appeal of David R. Busch, DRB #24 LLC, to a Certificate of Occupancy Revocation, which includes Condemnation, for property at 435 Banfil Street. (Legislative Hearing Officer recommends denying the appeal)

Legislative Hearing Officer Marcia Moermond stated that the items being appealed were the Condemnation and Order to Vacate, both based upon the condition of the structure, and the Vacant Building registration requirement, based on the Condemnation and Order to Vacate. She did believe the condition of the building merited condemnation and noted significant electrical and heating problems - a pattern of noncompliance with orders. She said there was a statement on the record that the problem was due to the tenant not granting access but she felt that was a problem that should have rectified itself over time. The appellant was requesting an additional 30 to 60 days to complete the repairs which was consistent with what the requirements would be under the vacant building program. The crux of the matter was the $1000 vacant building registration fee and requirement that the building be brought into code compliance. In some situations she had recommended the registration fee be held in abeyance for a period of time but didn’t feel that was appropriate in this case given the amount of time that had passed since the original correction order.

Council President Lantry asked how many units were in the building. Ms. Moermond said it was a single family home.

Councilmember Helgen asked for a clarification of the recommendation. Ms. Moermond stated that her recommendation was to deny the appeal and order that the building become a registered vacant building.

In oppostition:

Mark Hallenback, Attorney representing David Busch, stated that a group of people was in attendance to request 30 to 60 more days to complete the corrections. He said most of the items were cosmetic and if it was allowed to become a registered vacant building, the cost to make it “livable” would be more significant than if it did not have that designation.

David Busch, (1020 Davern Street, St. Paul, MN 55116) stated that he had owned the house for ten months. Part of his mission was to provide housing for homeless people and he had provided over 1,500 “people-nights” of housing at that location without compensation of any substance. He also helped unemployed people find work, and that combination didn’t always result in the best work or cooperation. He said his contractor would testify that the occupant prohibited entry to the people who were to make the corrections until a few days before the deadline. The imposition of the deadline allowed a disgruntled tenant to make a complaint to the city and then deny entry, leading to the condemnation and vacant building designation. Bringing the building up to code after it had been condemned added significant expense which was contrary to the city’s mission of providing affordable housing.; 4:35 PM
continued said...: Lantry asked whether the eleven deficiencies from the first inspection in July had been corrected. Mr. Busch responded that they were part of the 21 on the November orders which had been issued a few days after the tenant had moved out voluntarily. He had no objection to the Certificate of Occupancy being revoked but objected to the condemnation and Category 2 vacant building status.

Lantry stated that property owners had avenues for obtaining access to their properties. Mr. Busch reiterated that bringing the house into code compliance would make it impossible to provide affordable housing.

Helgen stated that affordable housing should not be housing that warranted condemnation and that Mr. Busch should make the effort to get the property cleaned up. Mr. Busch stated that he did and he had, but his tenants were otherwise homeless and a safe and warm place was better than being out on the streets.

Lantry noted that the inspector might disagree based on the condition of the electrical. She said Mr. Busch’s goals were laudable but providing safe housing was part of giving people dignity and respect. Mr. Busch said he would like to give Reverend Davis a chance to speak about other properties they had worked on together. Lantry reminded him that what was being considered were the conditions leading to the condemnation of the property on Banfil Street.

Eugene Tomas (4029 Penrod Lane N.E., St. Anthony), plumber and general contractor for the property, spoke about the problems contractors had with gaining access to the property. He said they would have plumbing, electrical and boiler permits pulled within 10 days if they were given an extension.

Jeff Chapman (1164 County Road B, Roseville) stated that the work was basically done and what remained was cosmetic. The previous tenant was his ex-daughter-in-law and her children were not well-supervised and were responsible for the damage. He said Mr. Busch looked after the tenants’ well-being to the best of his ability but certain things were beyond his control.

Pastor Sylvester Davis of Rock of Ages Baptist Church stated that the problem at Banfil might drain over to other areas because at the end of the day people were still homeless. He said no one was being harmed and they were following the spirit if not the letter of the law. They had begun a program to take homeless, unemployed people and give them job skills and the chance to become homeowners. He said Mr. Busch had brought hope into the community, and he asked for leniency.

Helgen moved to close the public hearing. Yeas - 6 Nays - 0

Councilmember Bostrom moved to accept the recommendation of the Legislative Hearing Officer. He said he found it unacceptable that people were living in a building that did not meet code and to require anything less than code compliance would be irresponsible. Lantry stated that some corrections required licensed contractors.

Appeal denied, per the recommendation of the Legislative Hearing Officer

Yeas - 6 Nays - 0; 4:35 PM
Anonymous said...: "Does any ex felon have a right to housing?"

So glad you asked! According to certain city council members the answer is NO! They come right out and say it. They cannot figure out why someone would rent to a felon and their way of saying it gives off the idea that think anyone who would rent to a felon has to be crazy.; 7:57 PM
Anonymous said...: The city council in their loftiness decree that they are judge, jury, and executioner.; 10:36 PM
Anonymous said...: Lippert is just a punk who'll do or say whatever his political bosses tell him to. He pretends to be a hot shot because he has some power over people and likes using it but on the bottom line he's just a punk ass jerk that looks down his nose at others to boost his own self esteem.; 10:55 PM
Anonymous said...: Get rid of all the slumlords.; 9:36 AM
Beacon Bluff_Manatron Taxes said...: The City Blindly and with Malice is starting another East Side "Targeted" Non Profit, Repke are you involved in this also?http://beaconbluff.wordpress.com/
Check your property taxes handled by Manatron, proof of deletions of taxes paid Major RICO Fraud in the Countys Taxing System run by Mark Oswald; 10:50 AM
Anonymous said...: 10:50 Sharron is that you?

Beacon Bluff is just the name of the old 3M site. It is for sale by the Port Authority. It is not a non-profit, it is just a rebranding of the area for sales purposes.

And, yes the Real Estate Brokerage that I work fo is marketing a small section of the site. Just the parcels that they are wanting for retail uses.

Chuck Repke; 12:15 PM
Anonymous said...: I love the attitudes of people in this country. Many go to church and sing praises to their Lord, but other days of the week, they're condemning the poor and unfortunate whom Jesus helped.

I suppose we should do something similar to that old Soylent Green movie! Round up the homeless, poor, ex-convicts, and addicts! Fire them up and turn them into food for the greedy!

Let's see where your sorry asses end up on Judgment Day, hypocrites. Might be a little too warm for you.; 12:18 PM
Anonymous said...: Ok I have been reading all the comments here and on the Pioneer Press and can no longer refrain myself from speaking up. I remember every last threat I received from some of St. Paul's finest. Being treated like I was a worthless piece of trash basically. Sorry St Paul we are not trash that you can throw out even though you did me but that was the best thing that ever happened to me! We are all human and if I recall when I was released from probation (8 years early) the papers stated that my rights had been reinstated in this wonderful country other than the right to bear arms... I think rights include: voting, education if I chose like I did, employment, and even housing, excuse me if I am wrong and correct me.

I personally think what Mr Dave Busch is doing is contributing to a better future by offering some people a second chance that many would turn a cold shoulder too.

I also with the support of the property owner and city officials in Anoka County offer people that have a flawed history a second chance to a new start, unfortunately I am not able to do as much as Mr Busch being that I do not own the property.

Just as I am sure Mr Busch does I come across a few (very few) that do not work out, but then there are bad apples amongst all people in society.

I remember back when pretty much everyone looked at me as if I was a worthless nothing that would never contribute to society. But then it was just the few people such as some here at A Democracy that had faith in me that gave me the boost I needed to move forward in succeed to where I am today. I am so grateful to every single person that believed in me...that includes "ONE" St. Paul law enforcement officer that I am still in contact with today because he actually understood and cared. No not all cops are dirty, this one had a former addict for a mom and came from Chicago so he understood addiction.

Bottom line is...yes some people just need the support and chance that Mr Busch is offering and for the city to stand in his way for issues that are not life threatening is a real shame. Homelessness and addiction is more life threatening than a torn screen or some cosmetic issues.

This is a touchy subject for me so I better stop here...sorry to ramble. By the way I am an example of one of the people that St. Paul felt was undesirable, instead now I look at St. Paul as being an undesirable city.

Nancy O.; 7:40 PM
Anonymous said...: You go girl!!!!!!!; 7:58 PM
Ralph said...: They can't keep a good girl down!; 8:11 PM
Bob said...: I hope the city council is reading the comments at twincies.com

A lot of citizens are upset.; 10:56 PM
Anonymous said...: If they are reading there's not much chance anything will sink in or any new lights go on. They've been trying the same failed strategy for over 10 years and the more it fails the more they cling to it.; 12:06 AM
Anonymous said...: Getting kind of boring here Eric. How about poping in for a minute and talking about the violations? Just give the quick DFL spin on how anything with a violation is a slum and anyone who makes a profit is a slumlord. Just feel free to leave out that every house in the city has violations....i.e. just the facts please!; 3:37 AM
Anonymous said...: Bob, I have no history with Busch, so I don't know how he manages his properties.

All I can tell you is that I have dealt with "Angels of Mercy" in the past that turn out to be nothing more than exploiters of the poor.

I believe that we as a people have an obligation to help people that are homeless. I think that it is a responsibility of living in the richest country on the planet to take care of those that are less fortunate.

What I find extremely frustrating is that there is a direct linkage between those who object to paying taxes to make sure that there is quality affordable housing available to those in need and the amount of cheering that comes for someone who facilitates 20 people living in a three bedroom house.

I believe that people in poverty should get dignity and respect and a voucher to be able to get a decent place to live. I believe that housing and health care should be basic rights of the American public.

I don't think that we as a country or a City should find it acceptable that these kind of living situations are the alternative. I do not think that it is right that 50 people will end up sleeping in a church basement or that this guy will buy a house for $10K and start sticking people in there before he pulls a code compliance.

I spent 15 years working in corrections Bob, I know the dificulties that men coming out of prison face finding housing. I also know that the more education and/or training that they have had behind bars improve the likelihood of them finding employment and a decent place to live. ...and, I am damn sure that living in a flop house, when they are out of work isn't going to be the best situation for them either and maybe what the guy really needs is a placement in a half-way house where he could get some HELP and because of GOP budget cuts that isn't coming!

I mean that is the bottom line difference between us. I actually believe that the government (we the people) should be looking out for the least of us. Those who need help and you believe that the government should get out of the way so that the wealthy can make money off of the poor.

JMONTOMEPPOF

Chuck Repke; 9:09 AM
Anonymous said...: Getting kind of boring here Eric. How about poping in for a minute and talking about the violations? Just give the quick DFL spin on how anything with a violation is a slum and anyone who makes a profit is a slumlord. Just feel free to leave out that every house in the city has violations....i.e. just the facts please!

OK, thanks for the invite.
I never said or insinuated that anything with a violation is a slum. I write on here enough for you to try and back that statement up if you want.

Its been your position that every house multiple violations these landlords are targeted because of their clientele. I said well over 90% of the low to no-income landlords do not have problems with the city and are not part of this suit.

I say its because your landlords have multiple code violations and have ignored multiple requests to improve their property. I have shown court records. You say the DFL is after them then disappear.

There's your facts.

I mean that is the bottom line difference between us. I actually believe that the government (we the people) should be looking out for the least of us. Those who need help and you believe that the government should get out of the way so that the wealthy can make money off of the poor.

Amen Chuck. I'll take it further and say that they don't believe that the poor have a right to some dignity.

Whenever you talk about bringing the places up to code, they try to frame it as window shades, paint chalk, and potholes in the lawn. When in reality, according to court records, we're talking about pest infestation, missing doors, not hot water, no water, no heat, open live wires, questionable structures and etc.

Their reasoning is, that they are poor and its the only way to offer affordable housing. My take is that these landlords need to find another business. They suck at managing property.

Eric; 9:37 AM
Pioneer Press comment said...: the other guy
Saint Paul, MN

The balancing act has no balance, hasn't had any for a long time now in St. Paul. The landlord is put through the ringer oftentimes for no more reason than the City perception that the landlord is making an unfair profit. The idea of egress windows in sleeping rooms, working detectors, etc. is hard to fault. But the codes do not stop there. The written codes include anything from not allowing hard wood floors in kitchens of rental units (yes, I know, they are popular in parade of homes houses, but not allowed in a rental unit) to requiring screens on literally any window no matter how many other windows a room has. A cracked piece of glass is a life and safety hazard to a city inspector. A pile of leaves is an illegal compost heap and subject to the city sending a 4 man crew to shovel up and tax back to the property.(been in that argument in my own owner-occupied house--the inspector involved answers his phone this way: "Inspector _______" like he's a detective or something.)
To add insult to injury the codes are literally different for rental units (much stricter) than for owner occupied housing. Renters apparently deserve safer housing than owners. THEN THERE ARE THE UNWRITTEN RULES. These are the "interpretations" that the individual inspectors are told to enforce. Things like locks on bedroom doors. A sliding latch on a bedroom door to provide a little privacy is suddenly a life safety issue "because it could get hot in a fire, warp and get stuck". That's the reasoning. Outlet adaptors like outlet strips are not safe (except in the city offices) and the landlord is ordered to add another outlet next to the first. Windows not only need to be large enough, they need to open easily enough, as subjective a test as I can think up. The list is endless.

The problems with the article are the reporter didn't do enough of the homework and didn't talk to others or at least didn't quote them. A little more detail and perspective may have shed some more light on whether this is a landlord who cares or doesn't care. I have a problem with any landlord renting out space that isn't safe (egress windows, working alarms, running water, etc.) and I resent competing as a landlord when others get away with that. But I also have a major issue with the gestapo attitude of a city office that orders the inspectors to enforce the crazy interpretations and whims of the bosses. Another "code" that prevents safe housing is the "4 person occupancy" rule. The house may have been built with 12 bedrooms, but not more than 4 adults can live in it.(Except of course maids and butlers don't count. For real, it's in there. Who was that written for?)

I sympathize with Joe Doakes and Peter T, but the problem is that common sense can't be legislated, and petty abuse of power is rampant with the code department. So there are flagrant slumlords out there, and there are some, not all, code inspectors who should be seeking a more suitable line of work that makes better use of their desire to abuse people.

I hope to see a follow up article that has some actual details on what has been or has not been ordered on the properties in question. Let's all see the real list and make our assessments then.
Joe Doakes
Saint Paul, MN; 10:39 AM
Pioneer comment said...: The Other Guy-
Hope, I thnk you may be wrong. My personal experience with numerous inspectors isn't that they are looking for bribes. I see the problem at the levels above, not with the inspectors who are actually in the houses. Yes, some of the inspectors are jerks. Some are untrained, some poorly trained, some mis-trained (what they think is code really isn't). And some are actually good at what they do and mean well. But the SYSTEM is set up to force the sale of permits, increase property taxes, and generally punish landlords for any perceived profits. Let's be serious, if permits save lives (permits for changing siding, adding a railing, you name it) then the government would require a permit to repair the brakes on your car. One city rental inspection can easily result in hundreds of dollars in minimum permit fees. Fail to meet every single little nit-picking code interpretation and you get inspected again next year.(there's a fee for those inspections also)Each time you are inspected you need to furnish a furnace certification. I wonder what Union or Trade Group lobbied for that one? Maybe the ones who inspect furnaces? There's a couple hundred bucks down the toilet and for what? Don't CO detectors protect the occupants 24 hours of every day instead of spending many times that on an inspection that lines the pockets of the furnace shops? Clearly safety isn't the goal for that rule.
As for the much earlier commenter who said that any codes were openly debated and voted on: You are naive to think that. They are code changes and interpretations passed in late night sessions, many times after failed votes on several previous attempts. Even when the inspectors themselves oppose the provisions the changes will be passed if the right lobby pushes it enough times. Does it really mean life or death to not have an exhaust fan in a bathroom? Or to have dusty radiators?(I personally saw that code enforcement order--dust the radiators in Apartment 3)
A little power is a terrible thing to hand out.; 10:45 AM
Anonymous said...: Anonymous newspaper comments are less credible than most of the ones here- its why I don't bother to read them. Op/Ed is where you find the real pulse. Whenever people have to be accountable for what they say, they tend to take more time in checking it out. Nobody wants to look like an ass. The anonymity gives permission to say whatever about whomever and it always leads to racist remarks and uninformed accusations on every single story. Its not just here- across the country its the same way.

Don't expect newspapers to give it up or verify registration- as of now, people go straight to the comment section and pop off on the story and it brings traffic to the site- which is what they're after.

Anyway Doakes said this:
To add insult to injury the codes are literally different for rental units (much stricter) than for owner occupied housing. Renters apparently deserve safer housing than owners.

As the landlords have made clear over and over, rental property ownership is a business and is the same class as restaurants, and clothing stores. They are regulated and inspected by the city and you agree to follow the ordinances and rules in exchange to participate in the pool of renters that live or want to live in St Paul. I'm sure the rules are easier in Linsdtrom but, you give up that access to the pool of clients you desire that live in St Paul.

Just like with the food we eat, there is a bottom level in which its fit for humans, below that level is cause for the revocation of the privilege to do business here. The codes set the bottom level for habitation.

What's hard about that? Rental property is a business and needs to regulated as one or, the business owners will cut as many corners as possible to make the biggest profit in the shortest amount of time. You see it every year with these amateurs who buy property and think they're going to flip it for a big profit in a year or so.

Eric; 11:18 AM
Anonymous said...: "Inspector _______" like he's a detective or something.)

Actually Mr Doakes, its a police AND administrative civil servant title. In American administrative law, an inspector is an official charged with the duty to issue permits, such as a building inspector or sanitation inspector, and to enforce the relevant regulations and laws.

So, an official with the Department of Safety and Inspections, would properly be titled 'Inspector'.

Eric; 11:25 AM
Anonymous said...: "Whenever you talk about bringing the places up to code, they try to frame it as window shades, paint chalk, and potholes in the lawn. When in reality, according to court records, we're talking about pest infestation, missing doors, not hot water, no water, no heat, open live wires, questionable structures and etc.

Where does it say this you fucking liar? Those were allegations that were proven untrue. The only violations that the landlords in the lawsuit against the city had were minor violations.

Do you ever tell the truth?; 7:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Ummm......no he does not!; 9:58 PM
Anonymous said...: Minor violations?!?!?
Liar?!?

You've won nothing in the courts, city review process or even public opinion.

To compensate for that, you have created this conspiracy with so many holes in it that it sounds silly to repeat.

You're paranoid, irrational, reactionaries. You cling to conspiracy and cowardice no matter what evidence is provided.

A few weeks ago the Republicans had a memo that was leaked and it was clear on how to get money from people like you. Appeal to your fear and stupidity.

They certainly know their base.

Eric; 5:10 AM
Anonymous said...: So, today in the editorial page of the Pioneer Press there was a priest that suggested that the cities should have "special" rehab codes to deal with people like Busch.

Sound interesting?????

Well, Morris v Sax makes that impossible. The State Court determining that the only code is the state building code means that cities aren't allowed to have special treatment for rehabbed buildings.

Does the expression, "hoisted on his own petard," mean anything to you?

JMONTOMEPPOF

Chuck Repke; 9:17 AM
Anonymous said...: Why even mention Morris verses Sax since the city just ignores it and keeps on doing what it does best.....screw people.; 4:32 PM
Anonymous said...: Ask David Busch to disclose how much money he gets from Hennepin and Ramsey County for deposits. And how quickly he then turns around and evicts the tenants when the county funds come through.; 3:58 PM
Unknown said...: The address listed for David Busch, slum lord, is not a real address, unless he lives on the property of Highland Park Senior High School!; 7:48 PM

A DEMOCRACY TOWN HALL

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Is any home good enough for the homeless?

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