/ 
or 
lines to the right of the URL bar at the top of your browser
Bill To Restore City Authority Over Group Assisted Living Facility Licensing Heard in the House
The proposed bill would reinstate city authority to impose rental licensing on group homes and introduces broader spacing considerations for licensing agencies.
On March 27, the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee considered HF 1477, sponsored by Rep. Danny Nadeau, (R-Rogers). The bill would repeal a recent law that prohibits cities from imposing rental licensing on group assisted living facilities with six or fewer residents.
The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the House human services omnibus bill. The Senate version, SF 1130, sponsored by Sen. John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) awaits action in the Senate Human Services Committee.
Bill details
The bill would restore local authority to apply rental licensing regulations to these state-licensed facilities. This would help cities ensure compliance with habitability, livability, and life safety standards, while also holding housing providers accountable.
Additionally, an author’s amendment was adopted, expanding the authority of licensing agencies. Under the amendment, agencies could deny initial licenses to assisted living facilities — with a licensed resident capacity of six or fewer people — if the facility will be within 1,320 feet of an existing living facility. It would also create a response time standard for complaints made to the licensing agencies.
Bill testimony
Proponents of the bill included representatives from the League and several city officials:
- Scott Schulte, economic development director, Champlin
- Hollies Winston, mayor, Brooklyn Park
- Jason Newby, inspections and environmental health manager, Brooklyn Park
- Mark Bruley, chief of police, Brooklyn Park
- Samantha Brown, detective, Brooklyn Park
They highlighted the challenges that cities face with the increased concentration of group assisted living facilities in certain areas. They also emphasized the difficulty in holding housing providers accountable and the need for quicker responses to issues.
Opponents of the bill included the Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota (ARRM), Accessible Space, Inc.