St. Louis Park Adopts Pre-Eviction Notice Ordinance; Mandates Landlord Training To Foster Fair Housing Practices

St. Louis Park Adopts Pre-Eviction Notice Ordinance; Mandates Landlord Training To Foster Fair Housing Practices

The City of St. Louis Park is charting new territory with its adoption of an ordinance that turns the tables on eviction processes. Coming into effect November 1, 2024, landlords who own rental properties in the area are now mandated by law to give a 30-day pre-eviction notice to tenants before moving ahead with eviction actions for non-payment of rent or other monetary clashes. According to details shared by the city, this notice must be provided via an official pre-eviction notice form—a document soon to be accessible on the city website before the ordinance becomes active.

Not just resting on the laurels of advance eviction notifications, the city is taking additional steps to educate landlords with mandatory rental license training. Scheduled for October 22 and 23, the online sessions will span two half-days. Subjects ranging from fair housing and racial equity to domestic violence and mental health's impact on housing will be discussed. As put forth by the city, those who have yet to participate in previous training sessions are on the hook to attend, save for a few exemptions noted in the ordinance. For landlords caught up in these intricacies, it's imperative to register for both days to fulfill this obligation. Further details and registration can be found by visiting the city's website.

The city's not just leaving landlords out in the cold after basic training. For those who've already completed the required rounds, there’s still a chance to hit the books—or in this case, an additional training session on October 22 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Attorney Robin Ann Williams, who is a veteran in legal circles, will lead this extra session focusing on bias training alongside landlord-tenant law. The topics she will delve into include notable points such as fair housing and eviction procedures. Interested individuals can grease the wheels for their continued education by registering for this training online.

Questions that arise from these new guidelines and training may well spring up like weeds, and the St. Louis Park Housing Authority has laid out the welcome mat for inquiries. Housing Specialist, Katie Kline and HCV Specialist, Cassi Reissmann-Doring, have been tapped as the go-to contacts for these moments. They're reachable at 952.928.1314 and 952.924.2571 respectively, or via email at kkline@stlouisparkmn.gov and cdoring@stlouisparkmn.gov.

SOURCE: hoodline