Hopkins, Minn., Code of Ordinances ch. 20, art. III § 20-218
Minimum inspection standards
Operative Text
(a) The minimum standard to be used for inspections for compliance with the property maintenance code shall include the inspection of the building exterior and the common areas and the basement. In addition: (1) If there are 24 or fewer individual dwelling units in the building, minimum inspection requirements include inspecting 25 percent of the individual dwelling units, with a minimum of at least one dwelling unit. (2) If there are 25 or more individual dwelling units in the building, minimum inspection requirements include inspecting 20 percent of the individual dwelling units. (3) The specific individual dwelling units to be chosen for inspection shall be determined pursuant to inspection division policy. (b) If the rental dwelling structure is considered to be substandard, the building official, fire chief or authorized representative may inspect additional units, up to all of the units in the building.
Hopkins Code of Ordinances ch. 20, art. III § 20-218 establishes the minimum scope of property maintenance inspections for rental buildings in Hopkins. Inspectors must examine the building exterior, common areas, and basement, and must also inspect a percentage of individual dwelling units — at least 25 percent for buildings with 24 or fewer units, and at least 20 percent for buildings with 25 or more units. If a structure is deemed substandard, the building official or fire chief may expand the inspection to cover every unit in the building.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Hopkins Code of Ordinances ch. 20, art. III § 20-218, compliant rental property operators generally ensure that building exteriors, common areas, and basements are maintained in a condition that meets the property maintenance code at all times, since these areas are inspected at every cycle. Because the specific units selected for inspection are determined by inspection division policy, operators typically maintain all dwelling units to code rather than only those they anticipate being chosen. If a building is flagged as substandard, operators should be prepared for inspectors to expand their review to every unit in the structure.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Hopkins Code of Ordinances ch. 20, art. III § 20-218 means that tenants in rental buildings have a right to have their building's exterior, common areas, and basement evaluated during each inspection cycle, and a portion of individual units — including potentially their own — may also be inspected. If a building is classified as substandard, inspectors have authority to examine all units, which can be a pathway toward broader code enforcement. Tenants who believe their unit or building is not meeting maintenance standards may consider contacting the Hopkins building or inspection department, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for information about available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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