Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 14 § 14.522
DEFINITIONS (Bloomington Time-of-Sale Housing Evaluations and Manufactured Home Park Regulations)
Operative Text
The following words and terms, when used in this Division C shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT. See DWELLING, ACCESSORY . DWELLING. One or more rooms designed for residential use by a single family that contain cooking, living, sanitary and sleeping facilities and that are physically separated from any other dwelling units in the same structure. Types of dwellings are as follows. (1) DWELLING, SINGLE-FAMILY. A building designed or used for residential occupancy by one family with or without an approved accessory dwelling unit. (2) DWELLING, ACCESSORY. A secondary dwelling unit, but not a manufactured home built on a permanent chassis, located on the same lot as a single-family dwelling unit, either physically attached to, within, or detached from the single-family dwelling unit. Accessory dwelling units must be developed in accordance with the standards set forth in § 21.302.03 . (3) DWELLING, TWO-FAMILY. A building designed or used for residential occupancy by two families in separate dwelling units fully separated by an unpierced wall extending from ground to roof or an unpierced ceiling and floor extending from exterior wall to exterior wall, except for a common stairwell exterior to both units, including both duplexes and double bungalows but not including accessory dwelling units. (4) DWELLING, MULTIPLE-FAMILY. A building or portion thereof designed or used for residential occupancy by three or more families in separate dwelling units. (5) MANUFACTURED HOME. Synonymous with MOBILE HOME , a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or more in width or 40 body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein. A recreational camping vehicle is not a MANUFACTURED HOME . ENERGY DISCLOSURE REPORT. A report describing the overall energy efficiency score of a dwelling's energy assets included with the evaluation report. EVALUATION REPORT. A written report prepared and signed by a person licensed as a city time-of-sale housing evaluator on a form in compliance with § 14.528 of this code. HARDSHIP. Inability of seller to make required repairs, including, but not limited to, economic circumstances, illness, death, weather or acts of God. IMMEDIATE HAZARD. A condition or defect which is likely to cause injury to a person or property if not corrected. ISSUING AUTHORITY. The City Manager or a designated representative. OWNER’S AGENT. A person who acts for or has the power or authority to act for the owner of a dwelling . SALE. The transfer of title or possession of a dwelling whether or not absolute title is transferred. VACANT. A dwelling which is not occupied. (Recodified by Ord. 95-13, passed 8-7-1995; amended by Ord. 2009-18, passed 6-22-2009; Ord. 2009-26, passed 9-14-2009; Ord. 2010-13, passed 5-17-2010; Ord. 2021-29 , passed 9-13-2021; Ord. 2022-39 , passed 8-8-2022)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 14.522 establishes the official definitions that govern how key terms are interpreted throughout Division C of Chapter 14, which covers the city's time-of-sale housing evaluation program. Terms such as "dwelling," "sale," "immediate hazard," "hardship," and "issuing authority" carry specific legal meanings under this section, and those meanings apply whenever the terms appear in the division. The definitions also distinguish among different dwelling types—single-family, accessory, two-family, multiple-family, and manufactured homes—each of which may be subject to different regulatory treatment.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Bloomington should familiarize themselves with the defined terms in § 14.522, because those definitions shape how the city's time-of-sale evaluation requirements apply to a given property. For example, whether a structure qualifies as a single-family dwelling, a two-family dwelling, or a multiple-family dwelling under § 14.522 can affect which evaluation and disclosure obligations are triggered at the point of sale. Operators who use or develop accessory dwelling units should also note that § 14.522 cross-references the development standards in § 21.302.03, meaning compliance involves more than one section of the code.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in Bloomington properties covered by Division C can look to § 14.522 to understand what terms like "immediate hazard," "vacant," and "sale" mean in the context of the city's housing evaluation rules. Knowing how the code defines the type of dwelling they occupy—whether it is classified as single-family, two-family, or multiple-family under § 14.522—can help tenants understand which protections and procedures may apply to their home. Tenants who have questions about how these definitions affect their rights may find it useful to contact the city's Issuing Authority (the City Manager or a designated representative, as defined in § 14.522) or a local tenant-rights organization.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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