Cloquet, Minn., City Code ch. 10 §§ 10.3, 10.7 (2026) § 10.3.06
Enforcement Authority
Operative Text
10.3.06 Enforcement Authority.
Subd. 1. Enforcement Officer. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the building official of the
municipality to enforce the provisions of the Housing Code as herein provided.
A. Coordination of Enforcement. Inspection of premises and the issuing of orders in
connection therewith under the provisions of this code shall be the exclusive
responsibility of the Building Official of the municipality. Whenever, in the opinion of
the building official it is necessary or desirable to have inspections of any condition by
any other department he/she shall arrange for this to be done in such a manner that the
owners or occupants of buildings shall not be subjected to visits by numerous inspectors
nor to multiple or conflicting or any violation under this code shall be issued without the
approval of the building official and it shall be the responsibility of that official before
issuing any such order to determine that it has the concurrence of any other department or
official of the government concerned with any matter involved on the case in question.
B. Administrative Liability. Except as may otherwise be provided by statute or local law
or ordinance, no officer, agent or employee of the municipality charged with the
enforcement of the Housing Code shall render him/herself personally liable for any
damage that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted
in the discharge of his/her duties under this code. No person who institutes or assists in
the prosecution of a criminal proceeding under this code shall be liable to damages
hereunder unless he/she acted with actual malice and without reasonable grounds for
believing that the person accused or prosecuted was guilty of an unlawful act or
omission. Any suit brought against any officer, agent, or employee of the municipality, as
a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his/her duties under this code,
shall be defended by the legal representative of the municipality until the final
determination of the proceeding therein.
Subd. 2. Inspections. The building official shall make or cause to be made inspections to determine the
conditions of the dwellings, multi-family dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units, and
premises in order to safeguard the safety, morals, and welfare of the public under the provisions of this
code. The building official is authorized to enter any dwelling, dwelling unit, multi-family dwelling,
rooming house, or premises at any reasonable time for the purpose of performing his/her duties under this
code. The owner, operator, or occupant of every dwelling, multi-family dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming
unit, or the person in charge thereof, shall give the building official free access thereto and to all parts
thereof and to the premises on which it is located at all reasonable times for the purposes of such
inspection, examination and survey.
It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse entrance or impede an inspector or officer authorized under
this code in the performance of his/her duties and every such inspector or officer shall have the right to
enter, examine, and survey all premises, grounds, structures, dwellings, and multi-family dwellings and
every part thereof at all reasonable times upon display of proper identification.
A. Access by Owner or Operator. Every occupant of a dwelling unit or rooming unit
shall give the owner or operator thereof, or his/her agent or employee, access to any part
of such dwelling unit, rooming unit, or its premises, at reasonable times for the purpose
of making such inspections, maintenance, repairs, or alterations as are necessary to
comply with the provisions of this code.Section 10.3.06 of Cloquet's Housing Code establishes that the city's Building Official holds primary authority to enforce housing standards, coordinate inspections, and issue violation orders. Inspections may be conducted at any reasonable time, and property owners, operators, and occupants are required to provide access to the Building Official for this purpose. Municipal employees acting in good faith under this code are generally shielded from personal liability, with the city's legal representatives defending them in related proceedings.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 10.3.06, the Building Official is the central point of contact for all housing code enforcement in Cloquet, meaning property owners and operators should expect inspection requests to flow through that office rather than multiple agencies. Compliant operators generally ensure that the Building Official and authorized inspectors are granted free access to all parts of their properties at reasonable times upon display of proper identification. Owners and operators also typically communicate access arrangements to their tenants, since § 10.3.06 requires occupants to allow owner or operator entry at reasonable times for inspections, maintenance, or repairs needed to meet code requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 10.3.06 grants Cloquet's Building Official the authority to inspect dwellings and issue orders to protect tenant health, safety, and welfare, which means tenants can contact the Building Official's office to report potential housing code concerns. The provision also requires that tenants provide the Building Official—and their own landlord or operator—access at reasonable times for inspections and necessary repairs, which is a mutual obligation under the code. Tenants who believe their housing conditions are not being addressed may consult a tenant-rights organization or seek information from the city about how complaints are processed under § 10.3.06.
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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