If the city wins the case, then inspectors apparently would be able to enter such a building anytime they wish.

The renters and tenants say they have nothing to hide but are opposing the city's move based on principle. If they want to leave dirty dishes in the sink, they say, they it should be perfectly legal.

"Your home is your castle—irrespective of whether you rent it or own it," said Anthony Sanders, an attorney for Institute for Justice, which is representing the renters and tenants. "What we do in our home is our business, not the government's. The mere fact that someone rents a home, rather than owns it, should not give the government the right to disrupt their life, invade their privacy and search every nook and cranny of their home—all without providing a shred of evidence that anything is wrong. It is a fundamental violation of the Minnesota Constitution's protection against illegal searches."