The City Council Agenda is available at this link.

Resolutions  12-0252R, by Councilor Stauber, recommends an Overlay area to be part of the Higher Education Small Area Plan, and 12-032-0, by Councilor Boyle,  limits the number of bedrooms for new multi-tenant rental licenses to 4. (It is currently 6)

Until Jan. 1, 2012, only single-tenant rental licenses were allowed in the “Protection Zone” around the UMD and CSS campuses.  Since the expiration of this restriction on January 1,  a dozen or more homes have been purchased by investors hoping to convert the homes to 6-bedroom rentals marketed to college students.  This is occurring in spite of increased fees for rental conversion and off-street parking requirements (5 off-street parking spaces are required for a new 6-bedroom license).

Why is this a concern?

We know that some neighborhoods around the colleges have “tipped”, more than half of the single-family homes have converted to multi-tenant rental,  for example, the lower portion of Woodland Avenue.  The new ordinances are designed to limit this condition and maintain  a healthy balance of rental and homeownership.

It is likely that this will be a hot topic in the next few weeks.  Watch for e-mail updates and media coverage.  Contact your neighbors and City Councilors.

We will do our best to answer questions by email or refer you to the person who can.

—
Campus Neighbors Advisory Group
Duluth, MN
campusneighbors@gmail.com
CampusNeighbors.org