In an effort to strengthen rental housing in Albert Lea, the city is hosting a training session for landlords to discuss the laws that govern rental properties.

All licensed rental housing owners are invited to attend the session from 6 to 9 p.m. next Thursday.

Todd Liljenquist, lawyer and director of the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association, will present.

Capt. Mark Roche, who oversees the city’s Inspection Department, said the city started hosting training biannually when the rental housing ordinance went into effect four years ago.

The ordinance was designed to work hand-in-hand with the city’s Safe & Crime-Free Rental Housing Program and the public nuisance ordinance. The ordinances were passed as a means to eliminate problems with rental property.

Since then, Roche said, there have been improvements in the quality of the rental properties in town, and he hopes the training sessions will only improve them even more.

According to city records, there are 708 rental housing licenses in the city that cover 1,738 units, Roche said.

City firefighters, who double as inspectors, inspect rental properties every three years.

“We’re finding as inspectors that when we are going back to these properties a second time, a lot of the issues are not there,” Roche said.

The training session will cover:

• Minnesota and federal laws that govern rental housing.

• Types of leases and lease clauses.

• Lease enforcement.

• Landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities

Both landlords and property managers are invited to attend.

Registration for the session is required through the city inspection office at 221 E. Clark St. in the lower level of City Hall.