Minneapolis renters ask where rent goes as landlord tops $1M in unpaid utility bills

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis is moving to collect millions in unpaid utility bills, and one landlord stands out with more than $1 million owed.

City moves to collect utility debt

What we know:

Minneapolis has seen a recent explosion in delinquent utility bills for water, sewer and trash. An 892-page document lists more than $12 million in unpaid balances, and a couple of bills stand out.

By the numbers:

"We have a downtown apartment building that owes the city half a million dollars, and another downtown apartment building that owes city $363,000," said Linea Palmisano, a Minneapolis council member.

Both downtown apartment buildings she mentioned are owned by Fine Associates. City records show the landlord owes a total of more than $1 million at five properties.

What's next:

On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council voted to send all delinquent utility bills to Hennepin County, where they will be tacked onto property tax bills. City officials say 98% of those bills are typically paid.

The rest go to foreclosure.

Landlord faces questions from tenants

Dig deeper:

Some tenants say the huge unpaid utility balance is a symptom of buildings not getting the care they need. People who live in Marquette Place and 110 Grant have formed unions and sued the company over what they believe are unsafe conditions and delayed maintenance.

Local perspective:

"We're receiving invoices, we're paying our rent. So where is that money going?" said Hannah Crippen, a resident at 110 Grant West.

"If renters are paying, you know, included in their rent is their water bill and the landlord is not paying the water bill, you know, that's definitely a little bit of a slush fund for them," said Elizabeth Shaffer, a Minneapolis council member.

The other side:

Fine Associates never responded to FOX 9's repeated messages asking for comment.

Residents say landlords rarely communicate about reported problems except in court.

In court, residents say, Fine documented hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of repairs.

Residents describe ongoing building problems

Big picture view:

Residents say they have seen flooding and water damage last for days or even months. They also say they love the community they have built and want to see the buildings get the care they say is missing.

The backstory:

"For example, the pool has not been operational since August 2025. But they keep saying, or throughout our lawsuit, they kept saying that it was like days away from opening," said Blythe Baird, a resident at 110 Grant West.

"You know, this is a great place to be, and they could make it and continue to have it be a great place to be," said Crippen.

What we don't know:

A judge should decide in the next couple of weeks what happens with the lawsuit from people at 110 Grant. Fine Associates also has not responded publicly to FOX 9's requests for comment.

The Source: FOX 9 reporting by Corin Hoggard, Minneapolis City Council and resident interviews.