West Saint Paul, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 155 (2026) § 150.042
STAR PROGRAM
Operative Text
To promote crime-free housing, the city encourages rental property owners to voluntarily participate in Level 1 or Level 2 of the STAR Program. A STAR Program application form must be completed and submitted with the license application in order for an owner to participate in the STAR Program. (A) More than three dwelling units. For owners with more than three dwelling units, the following criteria set forth the STAR requirements for each participation level. (1) Level 1. To qualify for Level 1, owners or managers shall comply with the following: (a) Provide the city a copy of rental criteria regarding tenants with criminal backgrounds. (b) Actively pursue the eviction of noncompliant tenants. (c) Attend 25% of Responsible Owners and Managers Association (ROMA) meetings. (d) Have no unresolved City Code violations. (e) Within 12 months of joining the STAR Program, complete Phase 2 or Phase 3 of the Minnesota Crime-Free Rental-Housing program. The phases of the Minnesota Crime-Free Rental- Housing program are: 1. Phase One- Management Training. Resident managers and/or owners attend an eight-hour seminar presented by police, fire, public housing and others. 2. Phase Two- Security Assessment. This phase will certify that the rental property has met the security requirements for the tenant’s safety. 3. Phase Three- Resident Training. A meeting is held for the residents where crime watch and crime prevention techniques are discussed. (2) Level 2. To qualify for Level 2, owners and managers shall achieve Level 1 and add the following: (a) Within 12 months of joining the STAR Program, complete Phase 2 and Phase 3 of Crime-Free Rental-Housing training and receive a certificate of completion by the city, as defined in § 150.042 (A)(1)(e). (b) Attend 50% of ROMA meetings. (B) One to three dwelling units. For owners with one to three dwelling units, the following criteria set forth the STAR requirements for each participation level. (1) Level 1. To qualify for Level 1, owners and managers shall comply with the following. (a) Actively pursue the eviction of noncompliant tenants. (b) Have no unresolved city code violations. (2) Level 2. To qualify for Level 2, owners and managers shall achieve Level 1 and add the following: (a) Within 12 months of joining the STAR Program, complete Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Crime-Free Rental-Housing training and receive a certificate of completion by the city, as defined in § 150.042 (A)(1)(e). (b) Attend 50% of ROMA meetings. (2001 Code, § 435.13) (Ord. 06-16, passed - -; Ord. 15-09, passed 9-14-2015)
West Saint Paul Ch. 155, § 150.042 establishes the voluntary STAR Program, which the city offers to rental property owners as a way to promote crime-free housing. Participation is not mandatory; owners who choose to join must complete an application alongside their license application and meet tiered criteria at either Level 1 or Level 2, with requirements varying based on whether a property has more than three dwelling units or one to three. The criteria include things like attending a share of Responsible Owners and Managers Association (ROMA) meetings, completing phases of the Minnesota Crime-Free Rental-Housing program, and maintaining no unresolved city code violations.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 150.042, participation in the STAR Program is entirely voluntary, so operators who wish to enroll submit the STAR application together with their standard license application. Compliant participants at the Level 1 tier generally keep their properties free of unresolved city code violations, provide the city with their criminal-background rental criteria (for larger properties), and complete the required phases of the Minnesota Crime-Free Rental-Housing program within 12 months of joining. Those seeking Level 2 status build on Level 1 by completing both Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Crime-Free Rental-Housing training, obtaining a city-issued certificate of completion, and attending at least 50% of ROMA meetings.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 150.042 describes a city-run voluntary program for landlords, not a set of tenant obligations, but its existence is relevant to renters because participation signals a landlord's commitment to crime-free housing standards and the absence of unresolved city code violations. Tenants who want to know whether their landlord participates in the STAR Program, or who have concerns about unresolved code violations that could affect a landlord's standing, can contact the City of West Saint Paul directly to ask about a property's status. Tenant-rights organizations can also help renters understand how a landlord's compliance history under programs like § 150.042 may relate to broader habitability or licensing questions.
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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