The following policies will be effective on March 1, 2021 for all rental properties in the City of Saint Paul.

Tenant Screening Guidelines

The Tenant Screening Guidelines policy ensures fair access to housing by creating uniform guidelines related to the use of  rental, criminal and credit history in applicant screening.

Security Deposit Limitations

The Security Deposit Limitation policy ensures equitable access to housing by limiting the upfront charges related to Security Deposits and Prepaid Rent.

Just Cause Notice Policy

The Just Cause Notice policy improves housing stability by ensuring owners establish one (1) of ten (10) Just Causes and provide renters with written Just Cause Notice when nonrenewing a renter’s Lease.

Advance Notice policy

The Advance Notice policy supports the preservation of affordable housing and addresses the displacement pressures renters may face during ownership changes by ensuring that current owners provide notice of proposed sale to the City of Saint Paul and renters before an *Affordable Housing Building is placed on the market and new owners provide a notice of sale after the transfer of ownership occurs, coupled with a Tenant Protection period.

2020 Rent Affordability Limit

*The Advance Notice policy applies to Affordable Housing Buildings as defined below. Any rental housing building where twenty (20) percent or more of the units rent for an amount at or below the 80% Area Median Income (AMI) rent affordability limit. Updated annually by HUD.
# of Bedrooms 80% AMI
Efficiency $1,448
1 Bedroom $1,552
2 Bedrooms $1,860
3 Bedrooms $2,150
4 Bedrooms $2,400

The City will also make a Rights and Responsibilities packet and poster available to support owners and renters in understanding their rights, responsibilities, and the resources available to them. 

S.A.F.E. Housing Contact Information

Email: safehousing@ci.stpaul.mn.us

S.A.F.E. Housing Information Request Line: 651-266-6305

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S.A.F.E Housing Tenant Protections

Find webinars, presentations, and policy bulletins for all of the S.A.F.E. Housing Tenant Protections.

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    Additional Resources

    Microtraining Series on the S.A.F.E. Housing Saint Paul Tenant Protections

    In partnership with the City of Saint Paul and the Family Housing Fund, Housinglink has developed a series of microtrainings to help owners understand how the ordinance will impact business operations. Each training will take about 3 minutes to complete.

    Visit the Housinglink Landlord Education Page to take the training. https://housinglink.org/List/landlord-education.

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Resources

Continue to check back for more S.A.F.E. Housing resources.

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    OFFICE OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT

    Notice of Adopted Rules Governing Chapter 193 of the Legislative Code (Title XIX) pertaining to Tenant Protections.

    Close of Comment Period. The Office of Financial Empowerment initiated a two-week public comment period beginning Monday, February 15, 2021 and concluding on Friday, February 26 at 4:30 p.m.

    Final Rule and Modifications. The Office received written and oral comments to the proposed rules.  Based on consideration of public comments received, the Office adopts the proposed rules as modified below. Underlining indicates additions to the previously proposed rule language.  

    Definitions. The terms used in this Notice of Adopted Rules have the meanings ascribed to them in Chapter 193 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code. 

    Subject of Adopted Rules. The adopted rules are about implementation of Chapter 193 (Tenant Protections). The Chapter is effective March 1, 2021.  Sections 193.06 and 193.08 (Advance Notice and Notice of Sale) of the Chapter support the preservation of affordable housing and address displacement pressures faced by Tenants.  The sections ensure that a notice of a proposed sale be provided to the City and Tenant before an affordable property is placed on the market, as well as after the Transfer of Ownership occurs, coupled with a Tenant Protection Period after the transfer. The sections apply to all Affordable Housing Buildings located within the City of Saint Paul.  Section 193.06 (Advance Notice of Sale) does not apply to the sale or transfer of title to an Affordable Housing Building already subject to federal, state, or local rent or income restrictions that continue to remain in effect after the sale or transfer.

    Adopted Rules Governing Sections 193.06 and 193.08.

    1. If a Landlord has accepted a written offer or executed a purchase agreement for an Affordable Housing Building prior to March 1, 2021, or the Affordable Housing Building is otherwise under contract, it is not subject to Sec. 193.06 or 193.08.
    2. If a Landlord makes an Affordable Housing Building Available for Sale prior to March 1, 2021, but has not accepted a written offer or executed a purchase agreement, and the Affordable Housing Building is not otherwise under contract, the Landlord must comply with Sec. 193.06 by providing advance notice as soon as possible, and in any event no later than March 31, 2021. If the Landlord gives notice to the City and to Tenants by March 31, 2021, then the Landlord does not need to take their property off of the market and may sell their property without waiting 90 days.

    Download the PDF version

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    Microtraining Series on the S.A.F.E. Housing Saint Paul Tenant Protections

    In partnership with the City of Saint Paul and the Family Housing Fund, Housinglink has developed a series of microtrainings to help owners understand how the ordinance will impact business operations. Each training will take about 3 minutes to complete.

    Visit the Housinglink Landlord Education Page to take the training. https://housinglink.org/List/landlord-education.

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    Download a flyer with information about the new tenant protections in multiple languages. 

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Tenant Protection Implementation Committee (TPIC)

In accordance with ORD 20-14, Chapter 193, the Office of Financial Empowerment formed and convened a Tenant Protections Implementation Committee (TPIC).The TPIC served as an ad hoc committee to support outreach, education and engagement related to the implementation of S.A.F.E. Housing Saint Paul.

View a list of committee members

Last Edited: March 1, 2021