Attorney General Ellison praises ruling protecting renters using public assistance

Minnesota Supreme Court upholds Minneapolis ordinance banning landlords from discriminating against tenants who receive housing vouchers

July 30, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) — Attorney General Keith Ellison praised today’s ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court in Fletcher Properties v. City of Minneapolis, which upheld a Minneapolis ordinance banning discrimination against renters who use vouchers to help pay for their housing.

The Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) Program was established by Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 and helps low-income families pay for housing. In 2017, the City of Minneapolis passed an ordinance banning property owners, property managers, and landlords from refusing to rent to someone because they use Section 8 housing vouchers or other similar public assistance programs. Shortly thereafter, several landlords filed a lawsuit challenging the ordinance, claiming that the requirement to rent to tenants who receive rental assistance is an unconstitutional "taking” without just compensation. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled against the plaintiffs today, finding that the City does not owe the landlords compensation.  The City of Minneapolis’s defense of the ordinance was supported with amicus briefs filed by HOME Line, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, the Housing Justice Center, and Attorney General Ellison for the State.

“My mission is to help Minnesotans afford their lives and live with dignity, safety, and respect, which is why I believe it is deeply immoral to deny people the ability to rent an apartment because they receive some public assistance,” said Attorney General Keith Ellison. “Today’s ruling is a win for families who are just trying to make ends meet and looking for safe, secure, and stable housing while doing so. I’m proud of the city of Minneapolis for passing this ordinance and I’m pleased that the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld it and defended the dignity of low-income renters.”

Attorney General Ellison’s amicus brief in Fletcher Properties v. City of Minneapolis argued that Minneapolis’ ordinance does not constitute a taking prohibited by the Minnesota Constitution, as alleged by the plaintiffs. In the brief, Attorney General Ellison noted, among other things, that the United States Supreme Court has regularly affirmed that states have broad authority to regulate housing generally and the landlord-tenant relationship specifically without compensating landlords for the costs of complying with those regulations. Ellison also reviewed legal precedent regarding the taking provision of the Minnesota Constitution and found that it does not require compensation every time the government acts to support public health, safety, and welfare. 

Attorney General Ellison encourages Minnesotans to consult his Office’s publication “Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities” for more information on the rights and legal protections granted to all tenants in Minnesota. Tenants who live outside Minneapolis are not protected by the City’s ordinance.  

Members of the public who would like to report concerns regarding housing discrimination are encouraged to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office using this online form. The Office can also be reached by calling (651) 296-3353 (Metro area) or (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota).