Duluth voters to decide if tenants should have right to repair homes

DULUTH — Tenant rights will be on the ballot in November.

While both supporters and detractors of a proposed “Right to Repair” ordinance purport to have renters’ best interests at heart, they remain sharply divided over a referendum that could shift the power dynamics between local tenants and landlords.

At a Tuesday public forum hosted by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and the News Tribune, a pair of speakers shared starkly contrasting views.

DyAnna Grondahl, an organizer for the grassroots organization Duluth Tenants, called for residents to unite behind a policy that she says could help renters more successfully address needed basic repairs in a timely fashion. But 3rd District City Councilor Roz Randorf warned the well-intentioned ordinance actually could put tenants at greater