City Code Enforcement

The City of South St. Paul is committed to maintaining property values. Code enforcement helps preserve the quality of residential and business properties by ensuring compliance with zoning ordinances. The city receives many citizen concerns regarding property maintenance, and code enforcement addresses these issues as needed.

The City investigates any complaint that is received regarding a possible code violation. In addition to this, the City has a proactive code enforcement program that looks at the following:

  • When the Code Enforcement Officer investigates a complaint about a code violation, he proactively looks at every property on the same block and issues a compliance letter to any property with the same violation.
  • The Building Official drives around the city every day doing inspections and stops any construction project that he sees while driving that does not have a required permit.
  • The City Clerk’s office proactively investigates non-homesteaded residential properties that do not have a rental license.
  • All City employees who work in the field do proactive code enforcement if they encounter a hazard that presents a clear danger to the public, the natural environment, or a piece of public infrastructure.
  • The Code Enforcement Officer proactively does enforcement for specific code violations in residential front yards and street side yards to promote good curb appeal in neighborhoods. If he notices a violation, he will leave an orange door hangar with a reinspection date written on it. If the code violation has not been fixed by the reinspection date, the City will mail out an official compliance notice and will prepare to initiate either the administrative citation process or the abatement process. With an abatement, the City's abatement contractor removes the code violation, and the property owner is sent a bill. The proactive code enforcement program looks at addressing the following code violations in front yards and street side yards:
      1. City Code Section 58-8: Junk vehicle stored outside of an enclosed building. A junk vehicle is a vehicle that is not in good operable condition, is partially dismantled, or which does not have an active registration. 
      2. City Code Section 66-51: Grass and weeds that are more than 6 inches tall or have gone to seed.
      3. City Code Section 118-240: Unlawful exterior storage.
      4. City Code Section 118-352: Parking a vehicle on the grass.
      5. City Code Section 54-1: Failure to clear snow off a public sidewalk within 24 hours after snowfall. 

Resources for Assistance

Residents who find themselves in a situation where they are unable to maintain or care for their home can access the following resources:

The City's EDA offers 0% interest home improvement loans for qualifying seniors and also offers a variety of low-interest loans for other households: South St. Paul Home Improvement Loan Programs

Re-Inspection Fees

On December 1, 2008, the South St. Paul City Council approved a re-inspection fee ordinance (City Code Section 26) authorizing fees for non-compliant properties. There is no fee for an initial inspection to determine if a city code violation exists or for verifying compliance after an initial mailed notice.

If violations remain upon re-inspection, the property owner will receive a compliance notice outlining the remaining issues, a new compliance deadline, and a re-inspection fee. Additional non-compliance may result in fees of $100 for the next inspection and $100 for each subsequent re-inspection.

Failure to Pay

Re-inspection fees are due within 30 days of billing. Failure to pay may result in the denial, revocation, suspension, or non-renewal of any city license or permit. For housing maintenance re-inspections, unpaid fees may be assessed against the property as a special assessment.

Questions & Concerns

For questions or concerns about code enforcement, call the city at 651-554-3216, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.