HF4607

Purpose

This bill aims to limit the authority of cities over rental housing licensing. It sets a cap on license fees, restricts lease terms that cities can require, and allows optional online education for rental housing owners. It also defines who counts as a “city” for these rules.

Main provisions

• Definition of city: For these rules, a city means a statutory or home rule charter city.
• Maximum annual rental housing license fee: A city may not charge more than $100 per year for a rental housing license.
• Lease conditions prohibited: A city may not require a lease or other rental contract to include specific terms that go beyond what is required by state or federal law.
• Rental housing education: A city may offer optional online educational programming for owners of rental housing.

Significant changes to existing law

• Creates a new provision (471.587) in Minnesota Statutes that limits how cities can regulate rental housing licensing.
• Reduces local government licensing authority by capping license fees and limiting mandatory lease terms beyond state or federal requirements.
• Introduces optional, online education for rental housing owners as a permitted city program.

Definitions and scope

• City: Includes statutory cities and home rule charter cities as used in this section.

Practical impact (in plain terms)

• Local cities cannot charge high annual fees for rental licenses (capped at $100).
• Cities cannot impose lease terms that go beyond what state or federal law already requires.
• Cities can offer online education to rental property owners, but participation must be voluntary.

Relevant Terms rental housing license fee, maximum annual, $100, lease conditions, state law, federal law, rental housing education, educational programming, owners of rental housing, online, city, statutory city, home rule charter city, Minnesota Statutes, 471.587