The Problem with Crime-Free Housing Ordinances (cross-posted from ACLU-MN) As a Minnesota-based statewide tenant rights organization that advises roughly 15,000 renter households annually, our organization has witnessed numerous Minnesota cities adopting rental housing disorderly conduct, nuisance, and/or crime-free ordinances (hereafter abbreviated CFOs) over the past 20 years. In general these types of ordinances provide cities the ability […]
Minneapolis and St. Paul Section 8 Reports
HOME Line’s tenant advocates frequently hear from renters who have difficulty finding, securing, and maintaining descent, safe, affordable housing. In particular, we often hear from tenants who have rental housing subsides such as Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers who are unable to locate a housing unit where the landlord will accept the voucher. For 15 […]
When is my landlord required to turn the heat on?
PLEASE NOTE: As of January 1, 2024, there is now a statewide minimum heat requirement in Minnesota tenant/landlord law: MN Statute 504B.161 Subd. 1 (a) (5). This law requires landlords to “supply or furnish heat at a minimum temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit from October 1 through April 30, unless a utility company requires and […]
Share your opinion on strengthening tenant rights in 2014
Take a look over on our Policy Blog where HOME Line intern Katie Thornton has posted an update on our proposed tenant/landlord policy changes for the 2014 Minnesota Legislature, as well as a survey for readers to take to help guide next years advocacy. We’d love to hear about renters experiences with these issues and count your […]
KARE 11 interviews HOME Line attorney on local vacancy rates
HOME Line’s Managing Attorney, Mike Vraa, shared insights on KARE 11 News into what challenges current and prospective renters face with the Twin Cities currently tight rental market. In addition to seeing more frequent and larger rent increases, renters who have imperfect rental or credit histories are finding it difficult to locate landlords that will […]