Cambridge, Minn., City Code ch. 97 (2026) § 97.01
Declaration of Policy
Operative Text
§ 97.01 DECLARATION OF POLICY The Council declares that the purpose of this chapter is to protect, preserve and promote the physical and mental health of the people, investigate and control communicable diseases, regulate privately and publicly owned dwellings for the purpose of sanitation and public health and protect the safety of the people and promote the general welfare by legislation which shall be applicable to all dwellings now in existence or hereafter constructed and which: (A) Establishes minimum standards for basic equipment and facilities for light, ventilation and heating, for safety from fire, for the use and location and amount of space for human occupancy and for safe and sanitary maintenance; (B) Determines the responsibilities of owners, operators and occupants of dwellings; and (C) Provides for the administration and enforcement thereof.
Cambridge, MN City Code Ch. 97 §97.01 sets out the overarching purpose of the city's Housing Code: to safeguard the physical and mental health, safety, and general welfare of residents by establishing baseline standards for all dwellings, whether privately or publicly owned, existing or newly built. The policy covers minimum requirements for equipment, facilities, light, ventilation, heating, fire safety, occupancy space, and sanitary maintenance. It also frames the code's role in defining the duties of owners, operators, and occupants, and in providing a mechanism for administration and enforcement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under §97.01, Cambridge's Housing Code applies to all residential properties—existing and newly constructed—meaning operators are generally expected to maintain dwellings in compliance with the minimum standards the chapter establishes for equipment, facilities, sanitation, fire safety, and occupancy. Because this declaration of policy underpins every subsequent section of Ch. 97, compliant operators typically treat it as the interpretive foundation when assessing their responsibilities under the more specific provisions that follow. Familiarity with the full scope of §§97.01–97.17 helps property managers understand how individual requirements connect to the city's stated public-health and safety goals.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section §97.01 of Cambridge's Housing Code signals that the entire chapter exists to protect residents' health, safety, and welfare—meaning tenants living in any dwelling in Cambridge, public or private, are covered by its standards. When conditions in a rental unit appear to fall short of the minimum standards described throughout Ch. 97, this declaration of policy provides the legal backdrop for understanding why those standards exist and who bears responsibility for meeting them. Tenants who believe their housing conditions violate the code may consider contacting the Cambridge city government for information on complaint and inspection processes, or reaching out to a local 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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