Tenant Resources

What Repairs are Required in my Apartment Guide
The guide aims to increase awareness and use of City of Minneapolis ordinance that governs health, safety and welfare conditions in rental housing, known as the Housing Maintenance Code.
English & Spanish

Minneapolis 3-1-1
Call 3-1-1 to report a problem with your rental unit to a housing inspector or for help with non-emergency City services. Weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. | Weekends 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

HOME Line
Tenant Hotline: 612-728-5767. Monday to Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Provides free and confidential legal, organizing, educational and advocacy services so tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems. HOME Line offers these language services: Español & Af-Soomaali.

Mid-MN Legal Aid & Housing Discrimination Law Project (HDLP)
Intake line: 612-334-5970, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
430 1st Avenue N, Suite 300 | Minneapolis MN 55401
Provides advice and legal representation for people with low income, seniors and people with disabilities who are experiencing rental housing issues including evictions, discrimination, foreclosure, accommodations for disabled Minnesotans, and Section 8 housing.

HUD Fair Housing Act
Intake line: 800-765-9372, leave a message at any time.
Report housing discrimination due to familial status or other reasons to the federal government. Learn more about HUD Fair Housing Act at www.hud.gov/fairhousing

City of Minneapolis Civil Rights Department
A neutral government agency that enforces anti-discrimination law. They accept, process, and investigate complaints of discrimination related to housing as well as other areas of prohibited discrimination. To file a complaint, call 612-673-3012, visit in person at 350 S. 5th Street (Room 239) or online at www.tinyurl.com/civilrights-complaint

City of Minneapolis Neighborhood and Community Relations
Most areas of Minneapolis are represented by a housing-related neighborhood organization. State law gives these organizations the authority to act in protection of your housing rights as a renter. Find your neighborhood by calling Minneapolis 3-1-1 or online at www.tinyurl.com/neighborhoods-mpls

HousingLink
HousingLink is a nonprofit with a mission is “to improve people’s lives through information expanding their affordable rental choices.” There are over 45,000 searches each month for affordable rental housing on our website.  Renters and service agencies also use Housing Tips and training provided to solve housing problems. Staff at human service agencies use HousingLink’s resources to help their clients overcome barriers to their housing search, and to answer questions about subsidized housing programs.  Landlords use HousingLink to advertise their rental housing openings for free.  Link

How to Fight Back Against LGBTQ Mortgage Discrimination
Article on how to spot discrimination and find allies in the mortgage industry. Link

It is important to thoroughly document the problems and your communications with your landlord. Here are some recommendations for renters:

• Write a description and take photos of the apartment’s condition when you move in and out,

• Make all repair requests in writing and save a copy. Home Line provides a useful template.

• Keep copies of all communications, bills, and invoices from your landlord.

• Document interactions with management in writing, noting time, date, location, and the employee’s name and job title.

• Contact your city government to find out if they conduct rental inspections. They may help you document the problems or even pressure your landlord to follow the law.

• If your landlord does not respond to your repair request in 14 days by fixing the problem or making plans to do so, or if the disrepair is causing an emergency (such as low or no heat in the winter), seek legal advice immediately.

Several organizations in Minnesota provide low-cost or free legal assistance. Contact them to see if you qualify or for help finding a lawyer.

• Home Line provides low-cost or free legal support to tenants. Reach them at 612-728-5767.

• Mid Minnesota Legal Aid provides free civil legal assistance in multiple areas of the law, including evictions and landlord abuse. Reach them at 612-334-5970.

• Volunteer Lawyers Network connects volunteer lawyers with low-income clients. Reach them at 612-752-6677.

• Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services provides free legal help to low-income people in critical civil matters. Reach them at 833-454-0148.

Your city may be able to conduct a rental inspection if you feel your landlord is not making necessary repairs. In Minneapolis, call 311; in St. Paul, call 651-266-8989. In other places, check your city website for more information.

State law protects tenants from retaliation–both eviction and rent increases.