Be sure to inspect the actual unit you will rent before you sign the lease if possible.
Your lease should indicate how repair requests are to be submitted. Most management companies have an online option. Some use phone. Online or email requests (or written) are best so you can keep a record of your requests. Requests placed by phone or verbally can be hard to document should you need to challenge something in housing court.
If your property manager is not responding to your repeated requests for repairs, you can call 311 in Minneapolis to request a housing inspector to assist you or fill out http://www.minneapolismn.gov/inspections/report/rental-complaint. In St. Paul you contact 651-266-8989 or https://www.stpaul.gov/report-incident to report a property maintenance complaint.