Chaska, Minn., Mun. Code ch. 11.16 (2026) § 11.16.020

Legislative finding. It is hereby found that there exist in the City of Chaska structures used for human habitation which are not owner occupied and are now, or may become in the future, substandard with respect to structure, equipment, or maintenance, and further that such conditions, together with inadequate provisions for light and air, insufficient protection against fire hazards, lack of proper heating, unsanitary conditions, and overcrowding, constitute a threat to public health, safety, and welfare. It is hereby found therefore that adequate protection of public health, safety, and welfare requires the establishment and enforcement of minimum housing maintenance standards. 

Title. This article shall be known, cited, and referred to as the "Chaska Rental Housing Maintenance/Inspection and Licensing Program", except as referred to herein, where it shall be known as "this article." 

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to protect, preserve, and promote the public health, safety, and the general welfare of the people of the City, to prevent housing conditions that adversely affect or are likely to adversely affect the life, safety, general welfare, and health, including the physical, mental, and social well-being of persons occupying dwellings within Chaska and which dwellings are not owned by said occupants, to provide minimum standards for basic equipment and facilities for light, ventilation, and thermal conditions, for safety from fire, for the use and location and amount of space for human occupancy, and for an adequate level of maintenance; to preserve the value of land and buildings throughout the City; and to provide for the administration and enforcement thereof. 

Discrimination and privacy. This article shall be enforced in a nondiscriminatory manner and exclusively for the purpose of promoting public, as opposed to private, welfare. Except as may be specifically provided herein or incidental to the enforcement hereof, this article is not intended to interfere with personal privacy or with private legal rights and liabilities, including without limitation landlord/tenant and lessor/lessee relationships, and in enacting and enforcing this article, the City neither expressly nor by implication assumes any obligations or liabilities respecting such private rights or disputes, including those which involve or arise out of the nonconformity of any premises in the City to the provisions of this article. 

Application. The provisions of this housing maintenance/inspection and licensing program shall provide minimum requirements to safeguard health, property and public welfare by regulating and controlling the use, occupancy, location and maintenance of all buildings, structures and accessory structures within the City of Chaska, designed or intended to be used for human habitation; the applicable requirements contained herein shall apply to all rental structures, accessory structures, rooming houses, lodging and/or boarding houses, apartments and manufactured homes used for human habitation; and same shall not apply to owner occupied structures. Said provisions of this article shall apply irrespective of when such building may have been or may be considered altered, or repaired. 

Conflict of ordinances. In any case where a provision of this article is found to be in conflict with a provision of any zoning, building, fire, safety, health ordinance or code of this City, the provision which establishes the higher standard for the promotion and protection of the health and safety of the people shall prevail. 

Effect of partial invalidity. If any subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this article should be declared invalid for any reason whatsoever, such decision shall not affect the remaining portions of this article, which shall remain in full force and effect; and to this end the provisions of this article are hereby declared to be severable. 

Alteration. Existing buildings which are altered or enlarged shall be made to conform to Uniform Building Code (UBC) insofar as new work, alterations or enlargements are concerned. If the alterations are such that they cause or threaten to cause unsafe conditions in the unaltered portions of a building or threaten the safety or safe operation of other nearby structures, then said alterations are prohibited unless the affected structures are also brought into compliance with this and/or other appropriate codes. 

Requirements for repair and replacement work. Any person doing any repair and/or replacement work on any rental residential building, structure and accessory structure covered in this Code shall complete the repair and/or replacement work in compliance with the standards contained in the definitions of repair and/or replacement in CMCO 11.16.030. 

Relocation. Existing buildings which are moved or relocated shall be considered as new buildings and shall comply with all requirements of this Code.