Princeton, Minn., City Code title 3 ch. 358 (2026) § 358.21
Violations and Penalties
Operative Text
358.21 Violations and Penalties.
(a) Criminal Penalty
Any person violating any provision of this Article is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90
days in jail and fine of up to $1,000.00. Each day a violation continues constitutes a separate
criminal offense and may be charged accordingly.
(b) Civil Penalty
If an owner of a rental dwelling is determined by the Fire Chief to be in noncompliance with this
Ordinance, the Fire Chief may order the owner to cease renting any vacated dwelling units until
compliance is achieved. The Fire Chief may also order the tenants of any noncomplying owner to
pay their rent to an escrow account up to an amount deemed by the Fire Chief as adequate to pay for
the work required to successfully comply with the Ordinance. These monies will be released as
items are completed to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief. These penalties are separate from other
fines and penalties listed elsewhere in this Ordinance and may be applied concurrently with other
penalties where appropriate.Section 358.21 of Princeton, MN City Code Chapter 358 establishes both criminal and civil consequences for violations of the city's long-term residential rental licensing requirements. On the criminal side, any violation is classified as a misdemeanor carrying up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense. On the civil side, the Fire Chief is empowered to halt rentals of vacated units and redirect tenant rent payments into an escrow account until the property is brought into compliance, with escrowed funds released incrementally as corrective work is completed. These criminal and civil penalties can run concurrently and are independent of any other fines described elsewhere in the ordinance.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 358.21 of Princeton's rental licensing ordinance, compliant operators maintain their properties in continuous conformance with Chapter 358 requirements to avoid both criminal exposure and civil enforcement action by the Fire Chief. Because each day of noncompliance can be charged as a separate misdemeanor offense, operators generally address any identified deficiencies promptly rather than allowing them to persist. Operators should also be aware that the Fire Chief holds authority to freeze rentals of vacant units and redirect active tenant rent payments to escrow, meaning noncompliance can directly disrupt rental income until all required corrective work is completed to the Fire Chief's satisfaction.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 358.21 of Princeton City Code Chapter 358 gives tenants a notable civil protection: if the Fire Chief determines that a landlord is out of compliance with the rental licensing ordinance, the Fire Chief may order that rent payments be directed into an escrow account rather than paid to the owner, with those funds held until the property is brought up to standard. This means tenants living in a noncomplying property have a formal, city-administered mechanism through which their rent can be withheld from a landlord pending repairs. Tenants who believe their landlord may be in violation of Chapter 358 can contact the Princeton Fire Chief's office to understand how this enforcement process works, and may also wish to consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance on 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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