1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to local government; amending sacred community requirements; authorizing
1.3 municipalities to regulate and establish approval processes for sacred communities;
1.4 establishing a remedy for noncompliance; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024,
1.5 section 327.30, subdivisions 2, 3, by adding subdivisions.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.8 Subd. 2.Dwelling in micro units in sacred communities authorized.Religious
1.9institutions are authorized to provide permanent housing to people who are chronically
1.10homeless, extremely low-income, or designated volunteers, in sacred communities composed
1.11of micro units subject to the provisions of this section. Each religious institution that has
1.12sited sites a sacred community must annually certify to the local unit of government that it
1.13has complied comply with both (1) the eligibility requirements for residents of a sacred
1.14community in this section, and (2) the administrative approval process under subdivision
1.157, if the municipality has established such a process.
1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.17 Subd. 3.Sacred community requirements.(a) A sacred community must provide
1.18residents of micro units access to water and electric utilities either by connecting the micro
1.19units to the utilities that are serving the principal building on the lot or by other comparable
1.20means, or by providing the residents access to permanent common kitchen facilities and
1.21common facilities for toilet, bathing, and laundry with the number and type of fixtures
1.22required for an R-2 boarding house under Minnesota Rules, part 1305.2902. Any units that
1Sec. 2.
REVISOR MS/MI 25-0259502/06/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 1051
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Robbins02/17/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Elections Finance and Government Operations 2.1are plumbed shall not be included in determining the minimum number of fixtures required
2.2for the common facilities.
2.3 (b) A sacred community under this section must:
2.4 (1) be appropriately insured;
2.5 (2) have between one-third and 40 percent of the micro units occupied by designated
2.6volunteers; and
2.7 (3) provide the municipality with a written plan approved by the religious institution's
2.8governing board that outlines:
2.9 (i) disposal of water and sewage from micro units if not plumbed;
2.10 (ii) septic tank drainage if plumbed units are not hooked up to the primary worship
2.11location's system;
2.12 (iii) adequate parking, lighting, and access to units by emergency vehicles;
2.13 (iv) protocols for security and addressing conduct within the settlement; and
2.14 (v) safety protocols for severe weather; and
2.15 (4) be established on land owned exclusively by the religious institution siting the sacred
2.16community.
2.17 (c) Unless the municipality has designated sacred communities meeting the requirements
2.18of this section as permitted uses, a sacred community meeting the requirements of this
2.19section shall be approved and regulated as a conditional use without the application of
2.20additional standards not included in this section. When approved, additional permitting is
2.21not required for individual micro units.
2.22 (d) Sacred communities are subject to the laws governing landlords and tenants under
2.23chapter 504B.
2.24 (e) The governing board of the religious institution that sites the sacred community must
2.25authorize one or more designated volunteers, religious institution governing board members,
2.26or a combination thereof, to take necessary actions to comply with the requirements of this
2.27section. At least one individual with compliance authority under this paragraph must be on
2.28the sacred community premises at all times.
2.29 (f) A municipality may approve or deny a written plan provided under paragraph (b),
2.30clause (3). An approval process established under this paragraph is subject to the
2.31governmental approval requirements under section 15.99.
2Sec. 2.
REVISOR MS/MI 25-0259502/06/25 3.1 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, is amended by adding a subdivision to
3.2read:
3.3 Subd. 6.Application of municipal rental housing licensing regulations.(a) A
3.4municipality may regulate micro units in a sacred community as rental single-family
3.5residences or rental multifamily residences if:
3.6 (1) the municipality has adopted an ordinance establishing a rental housing licensing
3.7program; and
3.8 (2) the municipality adopts an ordinance or amends the rental housing licensing program
3.9ordinance to specify whether micro units in a sacred community are subject to regulation
3.10as either rental single-family residences or rental multifamily residences.
3.11 (b) The religious institution that sites the sacred community is responsible for compliance
3.12with the rental licensing regulations applicable to micro units under this subdivision.
3.13 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, is amended by adding a subdivision to
3.14read:
3.15 Subd. 7.Administrative approval process authorized.(a) A municipality may adopt
3.16an administrative approval process for sacred communities that must be completed before
3.17a sacred community may be sited within the boundaries of the municipality. The
3.18administrative approval process is limited to a written application verifying:
3.19 (1) compliance with the requirements of this section; and
3.20 (2) compliance with local rental housing licensing requirements and other applicable
3.21state and federal laws or rules.
3.22 (b) A municipality may require a religious institution to submit information to the
3.23municipality for verification of continued compliance with paragraph (a), clauses (1) and
3.24(2), no more than once annually.
3.25 (c) A municipal approval process adopted under this subdivision is subject to the
3.26governmental approval requirements under section 15.99.
3.27 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 327.30, is amended by adding a subdivision to
3.28read:
3.29 Subd. 8.Injunction.A municipality may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction
3.30for a temporary or permanent injunction to enforce compliance with an administrative
3Sec. 5.
REVISOR MS/MI 25-0259502/06/25 4.1approval process or licensing requirement adopted under this section or a violation of state
4.2or federal law by a sacred community.
4Sec. 5.
REVISOR MS/MI 25-0259502/06/25