The current law in Minneapolis prohibits four people who are not related from living together in many areas. In the most populated areas, the law allows up to five people who are not genetically related or related by marriage to live together. One city councilman is seeking to make a change to the law to broaden the options for those who want to live in more communal settings.
According to reports, this is the not the first time Council Member Cam Gordon has brought the subject up. He reportedly broached the law in 2008, but arguments over the issue stalled out and no changes were ever made. He feels that now is a good time to bring the matter up again. Many of the council members were not in office in 2008, and the vote is likely to be very different.
Gordon says that the current law is not conducive to many of the city’s goals. A change in the law would help landowners and real estate companies provide more affordable housing, especially to demographics such as students and older individuals who are seeking to share the costs of living with each other.
The new law would allow for what are being called intentional communities, but they would not be without rules. The councilman is proposing changes that would require the adults in the intentional communities prove that everyone in the home shares chores and activities and cooks and eats together like families. The communities would also have to register with the city.
According to reports, no person could own more than one home that was used to house an intentional community. This would address concerns that the law changes could promote slum conditions. Real estate companies and landowners that are unsure about renting to any tenants can always consult a lawyer to ensure they are holding up their end of the law.
Source: Star Tribune, “Minneapolis may open door to more communal living,” Erin Golden, May 29, 2016