06-257�Lt.� j`�,��� �( i5 � Q t Council File #��" a5� I�
` Resolution #
Green Sheet # ��' a��
RESOIUTION
OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
Presented By
Referred To ' ` Committee: Date
2 WHEREAS, the housing code enforcement function of the City of Saint Paul has experienced
3 many changes in the past 10 years including a succession of directors and a number of organizational and
4 physical locations for this very important function provided by the City of Saint Paul, and
6 WHEREAS, in spite of the many changes in leadership and reorganizations, the program has
'7 improved its response to complaints and has developed a number of effective approaches to enforcing the
g City's Housing Codes including: The Problem Properties Unit, the Rental Registration Program, and the
9 Tenant Remedies Act; and
10
11 WHEREAS, the housing code enforcement function remains fragmented with various
12 responsibilities spread among at least six separate, autonomous units including the Office of
13 Neighborhood Housing and Property Improvement (NHPn; the Office of License, Inspections, and
14 Environmental Protection (LTEP); the Fire Prevention Division of the Deparhnent of Fire and Safety
15 Services; the Citizen Services Office; the Ordinance Enforcement Section of the Department of Public
16 Works; and the Police Department; and
17
18 WHEREAS, The Coleman Administration has recognized that there is a unique opportunity to
19 improve the organizational arrangement and delivery of housing code enforcement services by appointing
2p a single person to manage LIEP and NF�PI; and
21
22 WHEREAS, the Mayor has approved the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to Study Housing
23 Code Enforcement that will include employees and managers of the six city offices and departments
24 mentioned above plus representatives from the Mayor's Office, the City Council, the Office of Human
2g Resources, along with representatives of the major stakeholders of the program such as the Saint Paul
26 Association of Responsible Landlords, the Business Review Council, and various other concerned
Z'7 community and business organizations; and
28
29 WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Administration, Division of Management Analysis and
30 Development has agreed to assist the Ad Hoc Committee in gathering feedback from customers and
31 stakeholders; establishing a process and detailed agenda far the committee's work, a��f�-a�
32 °` "':.," ''°";";"„ "'° process based on the consensus model; and facilitatin� the committee's initial
33 meetines; and
34
c;(� - a5�
35 WuEREAS, the purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee to Study Housing Code Enforcement is
36 described in the attached proposal prepared by the Director of LIEP and NHI'I dated March � 14, 2006;
38 now therefore, be it
39 �SOLVED, that the City Council supports the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to study
40 Housing Code Enforcement and requests the committee to conduct its work and prepare a report with
41 recommendations for consideration by the Mayor and the City Council on or before T 7une 30
42 2006: and be it
43
44 �RTHER RESOLVED. that the nroper Citv of Saint Paul officials are herebv authorized and
45 �rected to execute an inter�overnmental aereement with the State of Minnesota, Deparhnent of
46 Administration. Division of Mana¢ement Analysis and Development.
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
Adopted by Council: Date �.�ifi� /S �od�
Adoption Certified by Council Secretary
BY� �///�r�ii�isdn�
Approved by r: Date � �g �
B 1 ���"`- ��h"`„"�
Requested by Deparhnent o£
Office of License, Inspections and
Environmental Protection
By: ✓i! '�—t����W�
Bob Kessler, Director
Form Approved by City Attorney
By:
Rachel Gunderson
Approved by Mayor, for Submission to Council
C
� Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet
�
Departmentloffice/council: �� f ���
DaM Initiated:
�Q - L������n�ron�a= � o�.,�,R-06 Green Sheet NO: 3029956
Contact person & Phone:
Bob Kessler
26&9013
Must Be on Council Agenda by (Date):
3/�S/�i
Total # of SignaWre Pages
�►
Assign
Number
For
Routing
Order
0
1
2
3
4
5
icense/inscection�FnvironPro DeoartmentDirector
� Attorne
a or's �ce MavodASSistaut
ouocil
i Clerk Ci Clerk
{Clip Atl Lowtiom for Signature)
Approval of a Resolurion indicating ihe support of the City Council for the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to study Housing Code
Enforcement and requesting the committe to conduct its wotk and prepaze a xeport with recommendations for consideration on or
before July 31, 2006.
itlations: Approve (A) or R
Planning Commission
CIB Committee
Civil Secvice Commission
Service Contracts Must Answer the Following Questions:
1. Has this persoNfirm ever worked under a contract for this department?
Yes No
2. Ffas this person/firm ever been a city employee?
Yes No
3. Does this person/firrn possess a skill not normally possessed by any
current ciry employee?
Yes No
Explain all yes answers on separate sheet and attach to green sheet
Inifiating Pro6lem, Issues, Opportunity (Who, What, When, Where, Why):
The Housing Code Enforcemern process remains fragmented with various responsibilities spread among at least six sepazate
autonomous offices. There is a unique opportunity to improve the organiza6onal asangement and delivery of housing code
enforcement services.
AtivantaStes If Approved:
Disadvantapes If Approved:
Disadvantages If NotApproved:
btal Amount of
Trensaction:
Funding Source:
Financial Information:
(Explain)
CostlRevenue Budgeted:
Activity Number:
��-a51
Proposal to Study Housing Code Enforcement in Saint Paul
March 14, 2006
Action Recommended
Establish an Ad Hoc Committee to review, analyze and develop appropriate recommendations to
determine the optimum location and arrangement of personnel and resources devoted to housing code
enforcement for the City Of Saint Paul. The name of the committee would be the Ad Hoc Committee to
Study Housing Code Enforcement in Saint Paul.
Background
T'he housing code enforcement funcrion of the City of Saint Paul has experienced many changes in the past 15
years. There has been a succession of directors and a number of organizational and physical locarions for the
funcrion. In spite of the many changes in leadership, the program has improved its response to complaints and
has developed several innovative and effective approaches to enforcing the City's Housing Codes The Problem
Properties Unit, the Rental Registration Program, and the Tenant Remedies Act are among the notable recent
inifiatives that have improved enforcement of the code for one and two unit housing in Saint Paul.
In spite of recent accomplishments, the housing code enforcement function remains fragmented with certain
responsibilities spread among at least five separate, autonomous units: the Office of Neighborhood Housing and
Property Improvement; the Office of License, Inspections, and Environmental Protection; the Fire Prevention
Division of the Deparhnent of Fire and Safety Services; the Citizen Services Office; and the Ordinance
Enforcement Section of the Department of Public Works. The current organizarional arrangement appears
duplicative and inefficient to the casual observer and public.
Past efforts to consolidate and streamline housing enforcement services have met with mixed results. The newly
elected Coleman Administrafion has recognized that there is a unique opporhznity to improve the organizational
arrangement and delivery of housing enforcement services by appointing a single person to manage LIEP and
NHPI and bring the employees and stakeholders together to define and clarify the mission, vision and values of
the program. (It is absolutely essential to have the support and participation of the Deparhnent of Public
Works, the City Clerk's Office, The Department of Planning and Economic Development, and the Fire
Deparhnent for the overall process to be successful.)
Purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee
The purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee is to address the following issues:
1. Determine what residents and stakeholders (Mayor, City Council, properiy owners, neighborhood
groups, and businesses) think of the way that housing code services are currently being provided. What are the
strengths and wealmesses of the function? [The Business Review Council has agreed to host two focus groups
with residents (customers) and stakeholders to gather feedback on the various services and programs provided
by NHPI. The focus group process will be conducted by the Minnesota Department of Administration, Division
of Management Analysis and Development.
2. What are the missions, visions, and values for the housing code function for the City of Saint Paul?
What changes in the mission, vision, and values need to be made?
3. Should the Office of NHPI continue to provide its current complement of services or should certain
programs and services be transfened to other City or County units; changed, expanded, or eliminated all
together? Where, within the City or County organizational structure, should the various housing code func6ons
be organizationally located?
4. Should part or all of the housing code function be physically located adjacent to the other inspecrion
organizarions? (The so called co-location oprion for LIEP, C of O, and NHPn. What specific functions from
o�-a��
the affected organizational units should be included in a co-located office? If co-location is not feasible, where
should NHPI be physically located? What would be the cost of co-location?
5. What major goals and prioriries would support the mission, vision, and values of the housing code
function? What changes in goals and prioriries need to be made to support the mission, vision and values?
b. What legislarive proposals need to be developed to implement the recommendarions made by the Ad
Hoc Committee?
Any other issues and concems the committee wishes to address.
Committee Membershin and Consensus in the Decision Maldn� Process
The Ad Hoc Comxnittee should include a broad representation of employees, managers, stakeholders and
customers. In addirion, there should be representarives from all affected offices and deparhnents. The
following is a suggested list of inembers. It is also recommended that members be selected by management and
union representatives collaboratively.
It is further suggested that the goup use consensus as the decision making method. Consensus, although time
consuming, produces broadly supported recommendations. For a detailed description of the consensus method
of decision making please refer to: �://www.npd-solutions.com/consensus.html
C� CouncillCouncil Research/Mavor's Office 2
Office of LIEP 4
NHPI 5
F�re Prevenrion 2
CSO 2
Human Resources 1
Public Works 2
Police Denartment 2
Stakeholders and Cnstomers 3
Total Membershiu of the Ad Hoc Committee 23
Timeline and Facilitation
The committee should be formed by Mazch 15` and the first meering could begin as soon as Thursday, March
24th. The committee will decide how often to meet and how to organize it to complete its work by June 30,
2006, and have its report and recommendations ready for consideration by the Mayor and City Council.
Staffing will be provided by the Office of LIEP and NHPI with assistance from Information Services. The
situation assessment and initial committee facilitation will be provided by the Minnesota Depariment of
Administration.
Caveat•
No person will lose their position or suffer a loss of compensation as the result of this process.
However, it is understood that some jobs and responsibilities, including job duties, may change.
In addition, cost savings will be sought throughout our operations. If staff reductions are
appropriate, they will be achieved through normal attrition.
2
Council File # b - � S �
Resolution #
Green Sheet # � ' �
RESOLUTION
OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA
Presented
Referred To
Committee: Date
2 WHEREAS,
3 changes in the past 10
4 locations for this very
g code enforcement function of the City of Saint Paul has experienced many
iding a succession of directors and a number of organizarional and physical
function provided by the City of Saint Paul, and
6 WHEREAS, in spite of th� many changes in leadership and reorganizarions, the program has improved its
� response to complaints and has devel�o a number of effecrive approaches to enforcing the City's Housing Codes
g mcluding: The Problem Properties Um�, the Rental Registration Program, and the Tenant Remedies Act; and
y 'WHEREAS, the housing code en cement function remains fragmented with various responsibilities
10 spread among at least six sepazate, autonomo s units including the Office of Neighborhood Housing and Property
11 Improvement (NfIPn; the Office of License, In� ections, and Environmental Protection (LIEP); the Fire Prevention
12 Division of the Deparhnent of Fire and Safety S�es; the Cirizen Services Office; the Ordinance Enforcement
13 Section of the Department of Public Works; and th Police Department; and
14 \
15 �'�'��' AS, The Coleman Administrafion ha recognized that there is a unique opportunity tp improve the
16 organizational arrangement and delivery of housing code , nforcement services by appointing a single person to
1 � manage LIEP and NI�I; and �
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
WHEREAS, the Mayor has approved the creation of �Ad Hoc Committee to study housing code
enforcement that will include employees and managers of the six�ity offices and depariments mentioned above plus
representatives from the Mayor's Office, the City Council, the Offke of Huix�aii Resources, along with
representatives of the major stakeholders of the progam such as the aint Paul Association of Responsible
Landlords, the Business Review Council, and various other concerned ommunity and business organizations; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Administration, Divisibn of Management Analysis and
Development has agreed to assist the Ad Hoc Committee in gathering feedbas�k from customers and stakeholders;
establishing a detailed agenda for the committee's work, and developing an eff�Ftive decision making process based
on the consensus model; and �\
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee to Study Housing Code Enforcement is described in
the attached proposal prepared by the Director of LIEP and NHPI dated Mazch 1, 2006; `xiow therefare, be it
\
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
O� - �,��
RESOLVED, that the City Council supports the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to study Housing Code
ment and requests the committee to conduct its work and prepare a report with recommendarions for
\ation by the Mayor and the City Council on or before 7uly 31, 2006.
Adopted by Council: Date
by Department of:
Office of L`i�ense, Inspections and
Environxnent�l Protection
BY� �y��—�-
Bob Kessler, Di�ector
Form
By: _
Adoption Certified by Council Secretary
:
Approved by Mayor: Date
:
for Submi�sion to Council
I:
Proposal to Study Housing Code Enforcement in Saint Paul �
March 1, 2006 � � J �
E ablish an Ad Hoc Committee to review, analyze and develop appropriate recommendations to
dete ' e the optimum location and arrangement of personnel and resources devoted to housing code
enforc ent for the City Of Saint Paul. The name of the committee would be the Ad Hoc Committee to
Study Ho ing Code Enforcement in Saint Paul.
Back2round
The housing code
years. There has been succe
function. In spite of the ny
has developed severalinno t
Properties Unit, the Rental Re
initiatives that have improved
; funcrion of the City of Saint Paul has experienced many changes in the past 15
�sion of directors and a number of organizational and physical locarions for the
changes in leadership, the program has improved its response to complaints and
ve and effective approaches to enforcing the City's Housing Codes. The Problem
en� stration Program, and the Tenant Remedies Act are among the notable recent
orcement of the code for one and two unit housing in Saint Paul.
In spite of recent accomplishxnents, t e housing code enforcement funcrion remains fragmented with certain
responsibiliries spread among at least e separate, autonomous units: the Office of Neighborhood Housing and
Property Improvement; the Office of Lic se, Inspections, and Environmental Protection; the Fire Prevention
Division of the Department of Fire and Sa Services; the Citizen Services Office; and the Ordinance
Enforcement Section of the Deparhnent of P lic Works. The current organizational arrangement appears
Duplicative and inefficient to the casual observ and public.
Past efforts to consolidate and streamline housing e orcement services have met with mixed results. The newly
elected Coleman Administration has recognized that ere is a unique opportunity to improve the organizational
arrangement and delivery of housing enforcement servi s by appointing a single person to manage LIEP and
NHPI and bring the employees and stakeholders together define and clarify the mission, vision and values of
the program. (It is absolutely essential to have the support d participation of the Department of Public
Warks, the City Clerk's Office, The Deparhnent of Planning a d Economic Development, and the Fire
Deparhnent for the overall process to be successful.)
Purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee
The purpose of the Ad Hoc Committee is to address the following
1. Deternune what residents and stakeholders (Mayor, CiTy Council, pr�
groups, and businesses) think of the way that housing code services are curren
strengths and wealaiesses of the function? [The Business Review Council has a
with residents (customers) and stakeholders to gather feedback on the various sex
by NfiPI. The focus group process will be staffed by the Minnesota Deparhnent
Management Analysis and Development.
ry owners, neighborhood
being provided. What aze the
� eed to host two focus groups
es and programs provided
of�Administration, Division of
2. What are the missions, visions, and values for the housing code function for the of Saint Paul?
What change in the missions, visions, and values need to be made or emphasized?
3. What are the major goals and priorities that support the mission, vision, and values of t housing code
funcfion? What changes in goals and priorities need to be made to support the mission, vision an�values?
4. Should the Office of NHPI continue to provide its current complement of services or should c
programs and services be transferred to other City or County units; changed, expanded, or eliminated ;
together? Where, within the City or County organizational struchu should the various housing code
be organizarionally located?
O��ZS�
5. Should part or all of the housing code funcrion be physically located adjacent to the other inspecrion
organizations? (The so called co-location option for LIEP, C of O, and NHPn. What specific functions from
the affected organizational units should be included in a co-located office? If co-locarion is not feasible, where
should NHPI be physically located? What would be the cost of co-locarion?
What legislative proposals need to be developed to implement the recommendarions made by the Ad
c Committee?
7. y other issues and concerns the committee wishes to address.
Committee embershi and Consensus in the Decision Maldn Process
The Ad Hoc Com ee should include a broad representation of employees, managers, stakeholders and
customers. In additio , there should be representatives from all affected offices and deparhnents. The
following is a suggested � t of inembers. It is also recommended that members be selected by management and
union representatives collab atively.
It is fiuther suggested that the gro use consensus as the decision making method. Consensus, although time
consuming, produces broadly suppo ed recommendarions. For a detailed description of the consensus method
of decision making please refer to: h /www.npd-solutions.com/consensus.html
Timeline and Facilitation
The committee should be formed by March 15`" and the first meeting could be as soon as Thursday, March
24th. The committee will decide how often to meet and how to organize it to co lete its work by July 31,
2006, and have its report and recommendations ready for consideration by the May and City Council.
Staffing will be provided by the Office of LIEP, NFII'I, and the Minnesota Departme of Administration.
Caveat•
No person will lose their position or suffer a loss of compensation as the result of is process.
However, it is understood that some jobs and responsibilities, including job duties, ay change.
In addition, cost savings will be sought throughout our operations. If staff reductions,are
appropriate, they will be achieved through normal attrition. �