State Legislature Aims To Expand Tenants Rights

While housing providers have recently received encouraging news in Minneapolis, the Minnesota state legislature has been quietly working on bills to strengthen tenants rights.

Last week the Residential Landlord and Tenant Law (HF 917) passed the House of Representatives. The bill is intended to give tenants more rights.

The proposed law would broaden the list of groups that may not be discriminated against to include people who are receiving public assistance.

It would require housing providers to disclose all non-optional fees in the lease, such as utility charges, add them to the rent amount and disclose them as the “Total Monthly Payment” on the first page of the lease.

The legislation would mandate a housing provider give a tenant 24-hour notice before entering the property, and then, only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Between October 1 and April 30th, landlords would be required to heat a building to at least 68 degrees on any day when the temperature outside is below 60.

The proposed law would impact lease terminations, evictions, and eviction expungement. For example, a landlord would be allowed to serve an eviction notice to a tenant via email. text or in person. However, under these new rules, the eviction may be expunged under several scenarios, including if the tenant and housing provider made and completed a settlement.

Additionally, landlords would no longer be able to refuse to rent to tenants whose dog hasn’t been devocalized or cat declawed, nor require the same of current residents.

A companion bill SF 1298 has not yet been voted on in the Senate. If it passes. Governor Walz could sign it into law.