Landlord's indiscretions lead to tenant evictions

Tenants in 16 rented Minneapolis, Minnesota, houses owned by landlord Ron Folger will be subject to eviction after a Minneapolis City Council Committee voted this week to revoke Folger's rental license, the Star Tribune reports. Folger had incurred two previous license revocations - one in January for failing to produce a management plan after a tenant was arrested for dealing drugs on the premises, and a second time in April for failing to meet with an inspector to see if violations on a house had been corrected. According to the news source, issues included deteriorated ceilings in the bathroom, broken and missing glass in storm and primary windows, a "chirping" smoke detector on the first floor, lack of proper handrails on the basement stairs and a "rotten" cabinet base beneath a kitchen sink. Under city ordinances, property owners with two or more revocations are mandated to give up their license for five years. The policy is intended to "send a message that you will have to keep properties in good condition with good conduct or you will ... not be able to rent in Minneapolis," said Fifth Ward council member Don Samuels, as quoted by the news source. Proper tenant background screening likely would've prevented one woman, who was caught with "two grams of crack cocaine" in one of Folger's units, from renting, KMSP-TV reports.