St. Francis, Minn., Code of Ordinances ch. 4, § 6 § 4-6-5
Inspection criteria
Operative Text
The City may inspect any rental unit if it falls within one or more of the following criteria: A. Such a unit has been abandoned by the owner or the owner of such unit cannot be found. B. The rental dwelling unit license has been suspended, revoked or denied. C. Water, gas, garbage or electric service to such unit has been discontinued. D. The City has probable cause to believe that there exist within such unit one or more violations of the requirements of this ordinance, fire or life/safety concerns. E. The unit of property within which the unit is located has, within the preceding six (6) months, renewed a license after suspension or revocation. F. The unit is the subject of a pending notice of the City's intent to suspend or revoke the rental license. 1. The Compliance Officer is hereby authorized, in conformity with this Ordinance, to inspect all rental dwelling units to enforce this section and all applicable safety codes. 2. The Compliance Officer is authorized to inspect all rental dwelling units in dwellings, whether having a rental license hereunder or not. The inspection may include the building or structure containing the rental dwelling unit, the land upon which it is located and accessory uses or structures related to the rental dwelling unit. All inspections authorized by this section shall be limited to those which are done for the purpose of seeking compliance with the applicable safety codes, and shall take place only at reasonable hours or as may otherwise be agreed upon by the owner and the Compliance Officer. 3. The Compliance Officer inspecting any rental dwelling, as provided herein, shall notify the license holder of all violations, if any, by issuing a written compliance order. Said compliance order shall direct that compliance on violation(s) be made within no more than ten (10) business days from the date of the notice, unless extended for good cause by the Building Official, Fire Chief or their designated representative.
St. Francis Code of Ordinances ch. 4, § 4-6-5 establishes the specific circumstances under which the City is authorized to inspect a rental dwelling unit, such as abandonment, license suspension or revocation, discontinuation of utilities, or probable cause of safety violations. The City's Compliance Officer is empowered to inspect any rental unit—licensed or not—including the surrounding structure, land, and accessory buildings, but only at reasonable hours. When violations are found, the Compliance Officer must issue a written compliance order giving the license holder generally no more than ten business days to correct the identified problems, though extensions may be granted for good cause.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under St. Francis Code of Ordinances ch. 4, § 4-6-5, compliant rental property operators typically maintain active licenses, keep utilities connected, and ensure their units meet applicable safety codes to avoid triggering the City's inspection authority. When a Compliance Officer does conduct an inspection, operators generally cooperate by making the unit, building, and related structures accessible during reasonable hours or at a mutually agreed time. Upon receiving a written compliance order, operators typically address all cited violations within the ten-business-day window—or seek an extension from the Building Official or Fire Chief for good cause—to maintain their rental license in good standing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
St. Francis Code of Ordinances ch. 4, § 4-6-5 establishes that tenants living in rental units subject to conditions like utility shutoffs, license suspensions, or suspected safety violations may have their unit inspected by the City's Compliance Officer. If violations are found, the landlord is required to receive a written compliance order and correct those violations within a set timeframe, providing tenants a formal record of identified problems. Tenants who believe their unit may fall under one of the inspection criteria outlined in § 4-6-5 can contact the City directly or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to understand what options may be available to them.
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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