HF 2779

as introduced - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human rights; modifying the definition of 
  1.3             housing for the elderly; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.4             1996, section 363.02, subdivision 2. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 363.02, 
  1.7   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 2.  [HOUSING.] (1) The provisions of section 363.03, 
  1.9   subdivision 2, shall not apply to: 
  1.10     (a) rooms in a temporary or permanent residence home run by 
  1.11  a nonprofit organization, if the discrimination is by sex; 
  1.12     (b) the rental by a resident owner or occupier of a 
  1.13  one-family accommodation of a room or rooms in the accommodation 
  1.14  to another person or persons if the discrimination is by sex, 
  1.15  marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual 
  1.16  orientation, or disability.  Except as provided elsewhere in 
  1.17  this chapter or other state or federal law, no person or group 
  1.18  of persons selling, renting, or leasing property is required to 
  1.19  modify the property in any way, or exercise a higher degree of 
  1.20  care for a person having a disability than for a person who does 
  1.21  not have a disability; nor shall this chapter be construed to 
  1.22  relieve any person or persons of any obligations generally 
  1.23  imposed on all persons regardless of any disability in a written 
  1.24  lease, rental agreement, or contract of purchase or sale, or to 
  1.25  forbid distinctions based on the inability to fulfill the terms 
  2.1   and conditions, including financial obligations of the lease, 
  2.2   agreement, or contract; or 
  2.3      (c) the rental by a resident owner of a unit in a dwelling 
  2.4   containing not more than two units, if the discrimination is on 
  2.5   the basis of sexual orientation.  
  2.6      (2) The provisions of section 363.03, subdivision 2, 
  2.7   prohibiting discrimination because of familial status shall not 
  2.8   be construed to defeat the applicability of any local, state, or 
  2.9   federal restrictions regarding the maximum number of occupants 
  2.10  permitted to occupy a dwelling unit and shall not apply to: 
  2.11     (a) any owner occupied building containing four or fewer 
  2.12  dwelling units; or 
  2.13     (b) housing for elderly persons.  "Housing for elderly 
  2.14  persons" means housing:  
  2.15     (i) provided under any state or federal program that the 
  2.16  commissioner determines is specifically designed and operated to 
  2.17  assist elderly persons, as defined in the state or federal 
  2.18  program; 
  2.19     (ii) intended for, and solely occupied by, persons 62 years 
  2.20  of age or older; or 
  2.21     (iii) intended and operated for occupancy by at least one 
  2.22  person 55 years of age or older per unit, provided that:  
  2.23     (A) there are significant facilities and services 
  2.24  specifically designed to meet the physical or social needs of 
  2.25  older persons, or if the provision of these facilities and 
  2.26  services is not practicable, that the housing is necessary to 
  2.27  provide important housing opportunities for older persons; 
  2.28     (B) at least 80 percent of the units are occupied by at 
  2.29  least one person 55 years of age or older per unit; and 
  2.30     (C) (B) there is publication of, and adherence to, policies 
  2.31  and procedures that demonstrate an intent by the owner or 
  2.32  manager to provide housing for persons 55 years of age or older. 
  2.33     Housing does not fail to meet the requirements for housing 
  2.34  for elderly persons by reason of persons residing in the housing 
  2.35  as of August 1, 1989, who do not meet the age requirements of 
  2.36  clauses (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) if new occupants of the housing 
  3.1   meet the age requirements of clause (b)(ii) or (b)(iii).  In 
  3.2   addition, housing does not fail to meet the requirements by 
  3.3   reason of unoccupied units if unoccupied units are reserved for 
  3.4   occupancy by persons who meet the age requirements of clause 
  3.5   (b)(ii) or (b)(iii).  
  3.6      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.7      Section 1 is effective on the day following final enactment.