Columbia Heights, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 5A (2026) § 5A.701
VIOLATIONS
Operative Text
(A) No person, firm, corporation, or licensee shall own and maintain or operate or rent to any other person for occupancy any premises, or any part of a premises, which is in violation of Chapter 5A, Article II (§§ 5A.201 et seq .), maintenance standard. (B) No person, firm or corporation shall operate a premises without a license issued pursuant to this chapter or accept payments from a tenant of any unlicensed premises which payment is for occupancy for a period during which the premises is not licensed pursuant to this chapter. (C) No person, firm, corporation or licensee shall refuse or fail to allow the Property Maintenance Enforcement Officer to enter a premises pursuant to an administrative search warrant for the purposes of inspection when authorized by this chapter. (D) No person, firm, corporation or licensee shall fail or refuse to obey a compliance order validly issued under this code. (E) No person, firm or corporation shall give or submit false information on a license application or any renewal thereof. (F) No person who is an occupant of an occupancy shall cause the premises on which an occupancy is located to become in violation of any of the maintenance standards set forth in Chapter 5A, Article II (§§ 5A.201 et seq .), normal wear and tear excepted. (G) No person shall occupy a premises if such premises is required to be licensed under this chapter. (H) No person may occupy a premises posted pursuant to § 5A.304 . (I) No person, firm or corporation, including an owner, licensee or occupant, shall remove or tamper with a placard used for posting property pursuant to this chapter. (Ord. 1532, passed 11-26-07; Am. Ord. 1695, passed 4-22-24) Penalty, see § 5A.702
Columbia Heights Ch. 5A Rental Housing § 5A.701 establishes a broad set of prohibitions governing rental premises in Columbia Heights. No owner, operator, firm, or corporation may rent or maintain premises that violate the local maintenance standards found in Chapter 5A, Article II, and no one may operate a rental property without the required license or accept rent payments for periods when the property is unlicensed. Tenants and occupants also carry obligations under this section — they may not cause the premises to fall into violation of maintenance standards (beyond normal wear and tear), occupy an unlicensed or posted property, or tamper with any official posting placard. Compliance orders, inspection warrants, and license applications are all subject to honesty and cooperation requirements under this provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Columbia Heights Ch. 5A Rental Housing § 5A.701, compliant property owners and managers generally ensure their rental premises meet the maintenance standards of Chapter 5A, Article II at all times, hold a valid license before accepting any rent payments, and renew that license without submitting false information. Operators who receive a compliance order from the Property Maintenance Enforcement Officer are expected to follow it, and they allow authorized inspections conducted under an administrative search warrant. Keeping records of licensure status and promptly addressing any maintenance deficiencies are practices associated with operating within the bounds of this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Columbia Heights Ch. 5A Rental Housing § 5A.701 gives tenants a basis to raise concerns when a landlord rents or maintains premises in violation of local maintenance standards or operates without a required license — including accepting rent during an unlicensed period. Tenants who believe their landlord is violating this provision may consider documenting conditions, reviewing the property's license status through local municipal records, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization familiar with Columbia Heights rental regulations. Note that § 5A.701(F) also places obligations on occupants themselves not to cause maintenance violations, so understanding both sides of this provision — and consulting the penalty provisions at § 5A.702 — can be informative when navigating a housing concern.
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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