If you own a duplex or fourplex in St. Paul, the details of the new Right to Repair ordinance deserve your attention.

My starting point is straightforward: maintain your property. A tenant shouldn’t have to repeatedly chase you over a necessary repair, and owners who ignore those requests should be held accountable.

My concern is how this process will work when there’s disagreement.

A tenant and landlord may disagree about whether work is needed, what it should cost, or whether it was completed properly. I’m concerned that arranging repairs separately from the owner’s maintenance process could create more expensive work and more disputes.

In this TafelTime episode, I cover five issues:

• Potential abuse of repair deductions.

• The cost of tenant-arranged work.

• Inspection delays during a dispute.

• Existing Minnesota tenant remedies.

• The implications for future housing investment.

That fifth point is why this reminds me of the rent control debate. When you’re deciding whether to buy and renovate an older rental, uncertainty becomes part of the decision.

I want safe apartments, accountable landlords, and a city where people will keep investing in housing.