Mankato, Minn., Code of Ordinances ch. 7 § 7-1

(a) The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health, safety, and the general welfare of the citizens of the city who have as their place of abode rooms furnished to them for payment of a rental charge (including money, services, or other type of consideration) to another. The general objectives include:
(1) To maintain a quality of character and stability of rental dwelling units within the city;
(2) To correct and prevent rental housing conditions that adversely affect or are likely to adversely affect the life, safety, general welfare and health of persons occupying rental dwellings within the city;
(3) To assist in enforcing minimum standards for cooking, heating, and sanitary equipment necessary to the health and safety of the occupants of rental dwellings;
(4) To assist in enforcing minimum standards of light and ventilation necessary to health and safety;
(5) To prevent overcrowding of rental dwelling units;
(6) To assist in enforcing minimum standards for the maintenance of rental dwelling units to prevent slums and blight;
(7) To preserve the value of land and buildings throughout the city.
(b) It is the intent of this chapter to establish a permanent mode of protecting and regulating the living conditions of the residents of the city who rent dwelling units and to provide a means for imposing license fees to help the city defray the costs necessary for housing inspections and enforcement of this chapter.