Currently, Short Term Rentals (STR) are allowed within a three-bucket approach. STRs are generally permissible within the rules, at least currently. However, you may have seen this recent article and the tide might be shifting.
Minneapolis City Council Member Steve Fletcher, Ward 3, North East has introduced the two existing ordinances and referred them Minneapolis City staff for review. This is their process when they are considering making a change to existing ordinances.
The 2019-00707 Short Term Ordinance and the Short Term Host Platform Ordinance are listed below:
- Passage of Ordinance amending Title 13, Chapter 351 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances relating to Licenses and Business Regulations: Short-Term Rental Hosting Platforms, amending provisions related to short-term rental hosting platforms.
- Passage of Ordinance amending Title 12, Chapter 244 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances relating to Housing: Maintenance Code, amending provisions related to short-term rental dwelling units.
The Host Platform Ordinance refers to the company itself, i.e. Airbnb and not the owner. Host Platforms pay the city cash every year for the right to exist in Minneapolis. Unlike a bill at the Legislature, you know what it says immediately upon introduction. We won’t know what it says until it is returned from staff. If Council Member Fletcher’s comments in the story are a guide, one can generally expect that Short Term Rentals will become more restricted. This may be especially true in terms of large multi-tenant buildings, but also generally more restricted.
Long story short, if REALTORS® are advising buyers/sellers or current operators, I would encourage extreme caution on STR rules. What’s allowed today may not be allowed in the future.
Minneapolis Area REALTORS® has scheduled a meeting with Council Member Fletcher’s office. We are hoping to get more details on these two ordinances soon.