A court will consider whether homeowners have the right to rent out their property

Bob Hubbard

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In the small college town of Winona, Minn., a court today will hear arguments on a case that could have dramatic implications for the property rights of every homeowner in Minnesota.
In 2005, Winona imposed a controversial ban on the number of homeowners who can rent out their properties. Under this rental ban, the government grants only 30 percent of homeowners on any given block a rental license. Similar rental bans are spreading throughout Minnesota: Mankato, West St. Paul and Northfield are also forbidding large percentages of property owners from renting out their homes. In 2011, West St. Paul enacted the most restrictive rental ban of all — only 10 percent of homes can receive rental licenses.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/01/22/mcbride
 

ballen0351

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They have that type of laws in a lot of college towns. I think its silly. My house my rules. But I also don't think I should need to follow zoning laws either if I buy the lot I should be able to build whatever I want.
 

billc

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Yes...those two supreme court appointees this next 4 years may hear this case during their tenure...wonder which way they will vote on it....
 

celtic_crippler

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I can't believe our culture has gotten to the point where even entertaining the thought of dictating to somebody what they can and can not do with their home is acceptable. Where do you draw the line? The idea is preposterous.

I'll have to do some research on where the government got their foot in the door on this one. If anyone wants to provide links to resources it won't hurt my feelings :)
 

Makalakumu

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Does anyone ever talk to anyone these days? They're just college students. Every time you hear someone say, "they should make a law against that," kick them in the balls.
 

ballen0351

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Does anyone ever talk to anyone these days?

Nope. If you knew how many times we get called because "Someone is knocking on my door and I don't know who they are". Or my neighbors TVs too loud.
 

oftheherd1

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Nope. If you knew how many times we get called because "Someone is knocking on my door and I don't know who they are". Or my neighbors TVs too loud.

In these days and times, I am not sure that isn't the correct response. In these days of home invasions, people tend to get frightened more easily. Also, if you have talked to your neighbor and they aren't willing to turn down a TV or stereo, to whom do they turn? Granted, I am sure there are some who call even when they see the mailman, or before having given a neighbor the chance to know their music may be bothersome.
 

cdunn

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Well, the city charter is... well, the city can do a loooot of things that add up to it being more or less legal, I'll expect. It's a stupid law, and it's probable consequences are entirely foreseeable, given the general nationwide housing glut: foreclosures, abandoned (and gutted!) homes, a general depression of housing value, and a spike in the price of what rental homes are available. It's dumb **** and the state Legislature should probably act against it.
 

Carol

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That's something that concerns me.

I didn't find out until I was days away from closing that my condo complex was getting close to the level where it might lose its FHA approval (must be 51 percent owner-occupied to qualify for FHA loan.)

Living in a condo is not ideal. It has its benefits, but it has its tradeoffs, too. A driving reason behind why I bought a condo is because I am by myself. I wanted something that I could easily rent out should my life circumstances change for good or ill. I'd hate to have that option taken away from me.
 

Big Don

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Every time you hear someone say, "they should make a law against that," kick them in the balls.

You know what? That is f**king GENIUS!
Can we make congress run the gauntlet when entering the building?
 

arnisador

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I think its silly. My house my rules. But I also don't think I should need to follow zoning laws either if I buy the lot I should be able to build whatever I want.

Zoning laws keep your neighbor from erecting a Burger King next door to you...or a strip club. (Make your own jokes.) Zoning laws are a good idea as they allow for a city to have planned development.
 

Big Don

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Zoning laws keep your neighbor from erecting a Burger King next door to you...or a strip club. (Make your own jokes.)
Only people with bad taste eat at the former, only the insane eat at the latter.
Zoning laws are a good idea as they allow for a city to have planned development.
When not abused by the city...
 

Makalakumu

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When not abused by the city...

And that is perhaps one of the biggest sources of local corruption. People have this ideal of how they think it should operate in their mind and I'm sure it works fine there, but in reality it never works. Special interests will take control and tip the balance of power in their favor. It's as regular as a law of nature.
 

celtic_crippler

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The ONLY time the government should step in and tell you what you can or can not do (whether it's related to your property or otherwise) is if your actions somehow put someone's life in danger, or somehow threaten another's property.

This concept was once widely accepted as simple common sense, but has become perverted and abused to the point of madness in today's culture. Again, it's the "Frog in the Pot" syndrome... Our Rights have been eroded away so slowly for so long that nobody's noticed.

Some laws make sense, like having to have a home inspection. If my home's a fire hazard and is close enough to catch your home on fire as well then it makes sense to address that issue because it's putting both your life and property in jeopardy. If I want sell hamburgers out of it; however, that falls under the "Nunya" category... as in "Nunya Bidness".
 

cdunn

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The ONLY time the government should step in and tell you what you can or can not do (whether it's related to your property or otherwise) is if your actions somehow put someone's life in danger, or somehow threaten another's property.

This concept was once widely accepted as simple common sense, but has become perverted and abused to the point of madness in today's culture. Again, it's the "Frog in the Pot" syndrome... Our Rights have been eroded away so slowly for so long that nobody's noticed.

Some laws make sense, like having to have a home inspection. If my home's a fire hazard and is close enough to catch your home on fire as well then it makes sense to address that issue because it's putting both your life and property in jeopardy. If I want sell hamburgers out of it; however, that falls under the "Nunya" category... as in "Nunya Bidness".

The smell, the traffic, and the inevitable littering palpably damage the neighbor's property. If I let my house run to pot and you get a hundred grand less for yours because if it when it comes time to sell, have I done a hundred grand of damage to your property? We don't live in little vacuum insulated bubbles, and it's a real question as to how much responsiblity we have not to damage those around us, and at what level we are liable for it.
 

ballen0351

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Zoning laws keep your neighbor from erecting a Burger King next door to you...or a strip club. (Make your own jokes.) Zoning laws are a good idea as they allow for a city to have planned development.

I know what they are for I just dont like them. My property I should be able to build whatever I want. My personal feelings thats all I dont expect others to agree.
 

celtic_crippler

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The smell, the traffic, and the inevitable littering palpably damage the neighbor's property. If I let my house run to pot and you get a hundred grand less for yours because if it when it comes time to sell, have I done a hundred grand of damage to your property? We don't live in little vacuum insulated bubbles, and it's a real question as to how much responsiblity we have not to damage those around us, and at what level we are liable for it.

So, you support not letting minorities move in next door? Wouldn't want your property values to drop...

That's about an extreme example as yours. I didn't say there was NO responsibility involved. I said there has to be a line and defined what that line was (granted, maybe my "hamburger" comment was a poor example.)

You also have to admit that you have some responsibility when choosing where you purchase your home. A responsible person would research the areas they were interested in and note any trends that would or would not make it a good decision. They wouldn't just buy something they "liked" and then complain about their neighbors and what they're up to afterwards. That would be irresponsible.

You also have the option of buying a home in an area where there's a Homeowner's Association. Doing so, you accept that you're responsible to adhere to their standards; whatever they may be.

Unless a tenent is causing or threatening physical harm to person or property, I hold it's wrong to tell the owner they can't rent their property to them. I would assert that more harm is being done to the owner of the property in this case. Not to mention a form of discrimination against "college kids."
 

Brian R. VanCise

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This has been going on forever whether in a city or out in the country. In Vegas I see it all the time the HOA have planned communities and everything is managed. While out of these associations you see a beautiful house right next to a crappy or unkept house. When I was home shopping out here I found a dreamhouse but unfortunately it was right next to and surrounded by properties of much lesser value so I passed on it knowing that its value would decrease over time. Cities typically have resisdencial neighborhoods, commercial areas, etc. of course with exceptions. Everyone just has to play by the rules and if you do not like a rule in place then of course you can mobilize and possibly change it.
 

Makalakumu

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Everyone just has to play by the rules and if you do not like a rule in place then of course you can mobilize and possibly change it.

Whilst this sounds good on paper, the people who can afford to do this are usually very wealthy and powerful. The zoning laws will bend in their favor. Look at these poor college students, for example. I'm sure many are liberals and feel that the government is there to help, but the reality of limiting rental properties is higher rents across the town. This "renters license" in Winona is gouging a population with very few resources to fight it.

Law is an opinion with a gun and when it's used to direct society, the weakest usually end up with it pointed at them.
 

K-man

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I don't see a problem. Surely we just go straight to the 28th!

"A well-regulated Neighborhood being necessary to the security of a free Society, the right of the people to own and rent property shall not be infringed."

:asian:
 

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