Cambridge, Minn., City Code ch. 97 (2026) § 97.12
Responsibilities of Owners and Occupants
Operative Text
§ 97.12 RESPONSIBILITIES OF OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS (A) Every owner of a dwelling containing two or more dwelling units shall be responsible for maintaining in a clean and sanitary condition the shared or public areas of the dwelling and premises thereof. (B) Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall keep in a clean and sanitary condition that part of the dwelling, dwelling unit and premises thereof which he or she occupies and controls. (C) Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of all his or her garbage and other organic waste which might provide food for insects and rodents in a clean and sanitary manner by placing it in the garbage disposal facilities or garbage storage containers required by § 97.07. (D) Every occupant of a dwelling unit shall keep all plumbing therein in a clean and sanitary condition and shall be responsible for the exercise of reasonable care in the proper use and operation thereof. (E) Every occupant of a dwelling containing a single dwelling unit shall be responsible for the extermination of any insects, rodents or other pests therein or on the premises; and every occupant of a dwelling unit in a dwelling containing more than one dwelling unit shall be responsible for such extermination whenever his or her dwelling unit is the unit primarily infested. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this division, whenever infestation is caused by a failure of the owner or operator to maintain a dwelling in a rat proof or reasonably insect proof condition, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner and operator. Whenever infestation exists in two or more of the dwelling units in any dwelling or in the shared or public parts of any dwelling containing two or more dwelling units, extermination thereof shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator.
Cambridge, MN City Code § 97.12 divides maintenance and sanitation duties between property owners and the people who live in their units. Owners of multi-unit buildings must keep shared and common areas clean and sanitary, while each occupant is responsible for the cleanliness of the space they personally occupy and control. Garbage must be disposed of properly using the containers or facilities required by § 97.07, plumbing must be kept clean and used with reasonable care, and pest extermination responsibility shifts between occupant and owner depending on whether the infestation is isolated to one unit, spans multiple units, or stems from a structural failure to keep the building pest-proof.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 97.12, owners and operators of multi-unit dwellings in Cambridge, MN are generally expected to keep all shared and public areas clean and sanitary, maintain the building in a condition that is rat-proof and reasonably insect-proof, and take responsibility for extermination whenever an infestation affects two or more units or common areas. When an infestation can be traced to a structural or maintenance deficiency rather than an occupant's conduct, the duty to exterminate falls squarely on the owner or operator regardless of which unit is affected. Compliant operators typically document the condition of common areas and respond promptly to reports of pests that extend beyond a single unit.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 97.12 of the Cambridge, MN Housing Code establishes that tenants have a duty to keep their own unit and the areas they control clean and sanitary, dispose of garbage properly in the facilities described in § 97.07, and use plumbing with reasonable care. At the same time, the provision recognizes that when a pest infestation spreads to multiple units or results from the owner's failure to maintain a pest-proof structure, the extermination obligation shifts to the owner or operator — not the tenant. Tenants who believe an owner is failing to meet these obligations may consider contacting the Cambridge city code enforcement office, consulting a local tenant-rights organization, or reviewing the full Housing Code for additional remedies.
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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