Is Minneapolis doing enough to protect renters from problem landlords?

April 11, 2011

Spiros Zorbalas, a notorious Minneapolis landlord, has landed himself back in the media spotlight recently. Fox 9 News and the Strib have both released stories covering the city’s passage of a license revocation on three of his many buildings. You can get Fox 9′s story here, and the more recent Star Tribune story here. Minneapolis [...]

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Minneapolis refocuses inspections on troubled buildings

March 1, 2011

Read how the City of Minneapolis is taking steps to turn the heat up on problem properties, while requiring fewer inspections at the better properties. This Star Tribune article shares more: http://www.startribune.com/local/117119453.html

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Minnesota Court of Appeals holds landlord accountable

March 1, 2011

A series of articles recently published in the Pioneer Press highlights the havoc two infamous landlords wreak upon tenants, city inspectors, management companies, and contractors they hire to do work at their properties. The brothers Hyder Jaweed and Asgher Ali have so far managed to evade legal accountability for neglecting their buildings and failing to [...]

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MN Non-profit developer overcomes odds to provide housing

February 28, 2011

Read about this local non-profit developer overcoming tough times to provide housing and supportive services to those who are most in need. They are managing to come up with funding to add more affordable housing in Minnesota, but the need for housing is growing faster than their ability to provide these important services. A large [...]

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Minneapolis Provides a New Tool to Help Renters

February 18, 2011

Checkout this Whistleblower Blog by the Strib–http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/116401879.html! It unveils the City of Minneapolis’s new web page “Holding Property Owners Accountable,” which shares public information about local property owners who haven’t kept their places up to par. Among other things, this web page features links to lists of building owners with revoked rental licenses, condemned buildings [...]

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Tenant wins on discrimination suit

February 13, 2011

Discriminatory behavior takes place, unpunished, every day. Yet, this Detroit Lakes woman had a good case that she was not afraid to pursue. This Star Tribune article tells her story. http://www.startribune.com/local/115900754.html

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Minnesota landlords’ business plan has community’s attention

February 9, 2011

As you may have already read in HOME Line’s Public Policy Blog, the Jaweed brothers are continuing their usual business practices–not paying contractors or making needed repairs. Read all about the effects of their conduct in this four part series by the Pioneer Press. http://www.twincities.com/ci_17101427 http://www.twincities.com/ci_17101426 http://www.twincities.com/ci_17114675 http://www.twincities.com/ci_17122641

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Bedbug infestation deemed a public nuisance

January 14, 2011

Shakopee tenants ring in the New Year facing the same problem with roaches and bedbugs that has been plaguing them for far too long. An online search for bedbugs at this complex reveals tenant complaints about infestations that date back to 2008. The city police have been working to help renters, but it is difficult [...]

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Local tenant calls landlord a SuperHero

December 13, 2010

HOME Line is a world where we hear many stories about Minnesota’s lousy landlords and work with tenants to try to make good out of some pretty terrible situations. That’s why it was sort of fun running across this blog about a cool landlord in Minneapolis, someone whose tenant dubbed him SuperHero Dan. It’s good [...]

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Waiting, and waiting for an affordable place to call home

December 13, 2010

This Daily Planet article discusses just how difficult it is for families to find housing relief in this difficult economy.  Highligted, are disheartening situations like local housing authorities still serving families on waitlists from 2002, working families who do not clear the incomes needed to pay fair market rent for a two bedroom apartment in the [...]

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