SF 1723

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 02/21/2025 10:36 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to local government; amending sacred community requirements; authorizing
municipalities to regulate and establish approval processes for sacred communities;
establishing a remedy for noncompliance; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024,
section 327.30, subdivisions 2, 3, by adding subdivisions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Dwelling in micro units in sacred communities authorized.

Religious
institutions are authorized to provide permanent housing to people who are chronically
homeless, extremely low-income, or designated volunteers, in sacred communities composed
of micro units subject to the provisions of this section. Each religious institution that deleted text begin has
sited deleted text end new text begin sites new text end a sacred community must deleted text begin annually certify to the local unit of government that it
has complied deleted text end new text begin comply new text end with new text begin both (1) new text end the eligibility requirements for residents of a sacred
community in this section new text begin , and (2) the administrative approval process under subdivision
7, if the municipality has established such a process new text end .

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Sacred community requirements.

(a) A sacred community must provide
residents of micro units access to water and electric utilities either by connecting the micro
units to the utilities that are serving the principal building on the lot or by other comparable
means, or by providing the residents access to permanent common kitchen facilities and
common facilities for toilet, bathing, and laundry with the number and type of fixtures
required for an R-2 boarding house under Minnesota Rules, part 1305.2902. Any units that
are plumbed shall not be included in determining the minimum number of fixtures required
for the common facilities.

(b) A sacred community under this section must:

(1) be appropriately insured;

(2) have between one-third and 40 percent of the micro units occupied by designated
volunteers; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(3) provide the municipality with a written plan approved by the religious institution's
governing board that outlines:

(i) disposal of water and sewage from micro units if not plumbed;

(ii) septic tank drainage if plumbed units are not hooked up to the primary worship
location's system;

(iii) adequate parking, lighting, and access to units by emergency vehicles;

(iv) protocols for security and addressing conduct within the settlement; and

(v) safety protocols for severe weather new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (4) be established on land owned exclusively by the religious institution siting the sacred
community new text end .

(c) Unless the municipality has designated sacred communities meeting the requirements
of this section as permitted uses, a sacred community meeting the requirements of this
section shall be approved and regulated as a conditional use without the application of
additional standards not included in this section. When approved, additional permitting is
not required for individual micro units.

(d) Sacred communities are subject to the laws governing landlords and tenants under
chapter 504B.

new text begin (e) The governing board of the religious institution that sites the sacred community must
authorize one or more designated volunteers, religious institution governing board members,
or a combination thereof, to take necessary actions to comply with the requirements of this
section. At least one individual with compliance authority under this paragraph must be on
the sacred community premises at all times.
new text end

new text begin (f) A municipality may approve or deny a written plan provided under paragraph (b),
clause (3). An approval process established under this paragraph is subject to the
governmental approval requirements under section 15.99.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Application of municipal rental housing licensing regulations. new text end

new text begin (a) A
municipality may regulate micro units in a sacred community as rental single-family
residences or rental multifamily residences if:
new text end

new text begin (1) the municipality has adopted an ordinance establishing a rental housing licensing
program; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the municipality adopts an ordinance or amends the rental housing licensing program
ordinance to specify whether micro units in a sacred community are subject to regulation
as either rental single-family residences or rental multifamily residences.
new text end

new text begin (b) The religious institution that sites the sacred community is responsible for compliance
with the rental licensing regulations applicable to micro units under this subdivision.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Administrative approval process authorized. new text end

new text begin (a) A municipality may adopt
an administrative approval process for sacred communities that must be completed before
a sacred community may be sited within the boundaries of the municipality. The
administrative approval process is limited to a written application verifying:
new text end

new text begin (1) compliance with the requirements of this section; and
new text end

new text begin (2) compliance with local rental housing licensing requirements and other applicable
state and federal laws or rules.
new text end

new text begin (b) A municipality may require a religious institution to submit information to the
municipality for verification of continued compliance with paragraph (a), clauses (1) and
(2), no more than once annually.
new text end

new text begin (c) A municipal approval process adopted under this subdivision is subject to the
governmental approval requirements under section 15.99.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Injunction. new text end

new text begin A municipality may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction
for a temporary or permanent injunction to enforce compliance with an administrative
approval process or licensing requirement adopted under this section or a violation of state
or federal law by a sacred community.
new text end