All building and housing codes should be updated regularly to make sure they are current and that inspection protocols are adequate.  Code enforcement officers should educate property owners about healthy housing and introduce them to financial resources for meeting codes. For those communities who provide for their own rental inspection procedures, rather than the state, a periodic or regularly–scheduled inspection model for all rental properties should be considered, in addition to a complaint–based model. The inspection schedule should be adjusted to reflect available staff capacity. Communities should consider rewarding those who make good faith efforts to comply by adjusting the inspection schedule for that property (similar model advanced in Brooklyn Center, MN).   

 To advance these efforts, guidance materials and model ordinances or codes should be developed through a partnership between regional planning commissions and state agencies on Health, Fire and Safety, and Housing. In addition, the state should support inspection of affordable units to keep costs low.