The contentious back and forth between the city of Minneapolis and a large group of 55 landlords regarding a controversial ordinance passed in the spring of 2017 has taken another turn.

A Brief History of the Matter

In March of 2017, the Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance (11-0, 2 members did not vote),which essentially banned landlords from rejecting a rental applicant based solely on their housing choice voucher (Section 8.)  The measure went into effect in May of 2018 and was challenged by the landlord group.

In June of 2018, a Hennepin County district court judge struck down the ban.  Judge Bruce Peterson ruled that the ordinance violates landlord's due process rights.  Peterson argued that the ordinance is presumptuous, as it assumes that there are no business reasons a landlord may reject an applicant with a section 8 voucher.  Veterans of the program know of the additional initial inspection required by HUD and required annual inspections.

In June of 2019, the City of Minneapolis won the latest court battle in the Minnesota State Appeals court.  We will keep you posted on any changes in this important tenant / landlord matter.  Be advised that any ads stating that you will not accept section 8 in Minneapolis are again considered a violation of the ordinance.